Anchor
by an0therpill
Summary: Zach and Cammie had been in the same group of friends for a year but what happens when they start to get to know each other a bit better? Cammie has to deal with her father coming home and trying to keep the secret of how he treat her before he left from destroying her life is making her world spin out of control, but when Zach is around it stops spinning.
1. Chapter 1

My fist hit off the punching bag and the sound of my skin hitting the bag filled the empty garage, my hair was stuck to my wet forehead and my biceps were aching from going at it for an hour. My music filled my ears through my earphones but I couldn't shake the sound of his voice shouting at me from inside my head, the sound of my back hitting the wooden floor or a plate smashing off a wall as I ducked. My punches came out fast and hard and soon my arms were hurting from the ache but I didn't stop until a scream ran up my throat and filled the room.

I knew I was crying from how my vision blurred, I sat down on the floor resting my elbows on my knees as I tried to calm my breathing and slowed down my heart rate before I had another panic attack. I unravelled the bandages from my knuckles and was thankful that they were only a little red but it would die down in an hour or so. Grabbing my phone and water I ran out of the garages and back into the apartment building.

Once I was ready in black jeans and a cropped sleeved grey and black baseball top I went back downstairs ready to go out and get some food with some friends. My mum was sitting on the couch with a magazine on her lap as the television was on in the background to fill the silence of the house, "Where you going?" Her voice was sharp and accusing.

I slowly swung my head back and I grabbed my bag and jacket from the hook by the door, "Out for some food with friends from school." I slipped by converse on and before she could answer I left the house.

I was sitting at a table in the old arcade in town that had now turned into a hangout place for high schoolers, no one really played the old arcade games apart from if they were on a date and the guy wanted to impress the girl. It was mainly used for its cheap delicious food and the fact that on weekends the owner would let the senior class have some alcohol, but two drinks was the limit. As if that made it anymore acceptable. "Bacon burger with fries and a coke," the waiter wrote down my order and then went around the rest of the table.

"Cam, are you coming to the beach later? We were thinking about making a night of it." Bex sat across from me her eyes giving me the look 'I'm not really asking because I'll force you to come on the account of you being my best friend', so all I did was nod with a smirk playing on my lips at her.

I had drunk my two designated drinks and was starting to feel the buzz of the alcohol in my blood, we were sitting at the table with our food gone and talking and even though no one had said anything particularly hilarious we were all laughing. This is the part of alcohol I like, where you are still aware of your surroundings and senses but you had a constant buzz of giddiness and everyone seemed to be your friend. "When are we heading to the beach?" I asked the group, it was four girls and six guys.

We had been a whole group for about a year now but most of us had been friends in smaller groups for the majority of high school- like Bex and I- but due to the similar taste in friends we created a larger group. I was close to Bex, her being my best friend for years, and also Macey who was another best friend and I was also close to Grant. I mainly had to be close friends with Grant since him and Bex were dating and it seemed their inability to seperate honeymoon stage was lasting for two years.

"Now." We all grabbed out stuff and piled into the three cars available, I was with Bex, Grant and a boy named Zach. We knew each other but weren't that close, it wasn't that we made an effort not be just our paths didn't seem to cross in the group because he was always with Nick or Jonas rather than Grant of Bex. He seemed cool though and as he played with the radio he stopped when it got to a station playing The Killers. I nodded in approval as Bex started talking her British accent filling the car and I sat looking out of Grant's car window.

We had been at the beach now for about two hours, someone had brought a crate of beer and I was still sipping my first one while most people were onto their second. I was leaning against a rock with my shoes off and my toes dug into the sand sitting just a bit out of the group, my phone started ringing but noticing it was my mum I ended it and looking back out at the ocean which looking terrifying as the sun was gone so it was basically the same colour as the sky.

"Still not on good terms with your mum?" I looked up to see Zach starting to sit down next to me, he looked about as restless and bored as I felt. When I just looked at him he didn't answer he just shrugged, "Not much of a talker I see, you haven't really said much all night. Or the whole year I've known you to be honest."

I laughed slightly, he wasn't saying it in a harsh way just making an observation, "Yeah well when you're best friends with Bex and Macey you kind of get used to just sitting listening. I don't mind it though; I don't really have that much to say half the time anyway."

"I find that hard to believe." I glanced at him slightly and saw he was looking out at the ocean like I was before. Like I said before I didn't really know much about him, we spoke every now and then but it was mainly about the others in the group or a test we may have both done. He was probably just under 6 foot tall, so probably a few inches taller than me, and had dark hair that seemed to curl at the end suggesting that he needed a cut. His skin was slightly tanned; his face was handsome with a sharp jaw line and high cheekbones. I saw a tattoo coming out the collar of his black top.

"What's your tattoo of?" I asked, he glanced at me and then pulled his top down at the collar to reveal a symbol. It was just a dragon, kind of like a Chinese symbol I think. I thought it was cool nonetheless.

As I stared at it a bit Zach began to speak, "I doesn't mean anything just liked the design, and before you give me a lecture of tattoos I know they last forever but you can't spend your entire life worrying about the future just live the life you have now not the one you hope to have in ten years."

I raised an eyebrow as him as he let go of his shirt and it returned back to normal just a bit stretched around the collar, "Chill out Mr Philosophical I like it, I have a tattoo myself actually." He made a face that was a bit of shock and embarrassment; I lifted the left side of my top up to show the tattoo that was on my side just below where my bra started. It was a black and white rose. "My middle name is rose and my dad hates tattoos and my mum hates my middle name. Hence the tattoo of a rose."

A smirk tugged at Zach's lips and he eyed it impressively, "Not normally a fan of flower tattoos I normally think they're pretty girly even for girls, but I like yours. It is a bit more detailed and unique, I like the thorns."

Letting my top go I smiled at him, "Thanks, designed it myself." Obviously impressed he nodded and then we returned to just sitting and looking at the ocean.

Soon it was getting late and my mum kept ringing and I kept ignoring her, I stood up and Zach followed in suit. "You can stay here if you want, I'm going to head home."

"I'll drive you, since you're my only company for this pretty shit beach party."

I said my goodbyes to the others and then followed Zach to his car and thanked him when he opened the door for me. The car ride was quiet with just the radio in the background; it wasn't awkward, the entire night had been like this. But I liked it; Zach's presence seemed to make me feel relaxed and comfortable. I didn't feel on edge like I usually do and the anger that I felt when my mum kept ringing stopped after the third time. I also liked that he didn't ask about why I wasn't answering my phone or why I wanted to annoy my parents with my tattoo.

Once directing him to my apartment block he parked out the front and switched the engine off, "Thanks for the ride and thanks for sitting with me tonight." Just as I was about to leave his hand was on my arm lightly pulling me back in.

I turned to him and saw a crease between his brows, "Wait, I-um-I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow or something? We've been in the same group for a year and I don't really know you that well and I had fun tonight."

I smirked a little how he was rambling in an attempt to explain himself, "Zach its fine, I'd love to see you tomorrow. You've got my number?" He shook his head and I smiled lightly and grabbed a pen from the middle compartment of his car and scribbled it down on the back of his hand, "Here you go. Drive safe and let me know when you get home, I know you've been drinking." He smirked slightly and I grabbed my bag and slipped out of the car and into the building.

 **Hope you liked the first chapter, I have the next few wrote out but will decide based on the response whether to carry on with it.**

 **Thanks :)**


	2. Chapter 2

When I woke up the next morning I quickly put on some running shorts and a baggy vest and grabbed my running trainers from the bottom of my bed and went to get something to eat. As I was eating some strawberries my mum came downstairs looking pretty bad, her hair was amess and her eyes were red. "You didn't answer my calls Cammie."

Without turning around I responded, "No I didn't."

"Where were you?" Her tone was sharp and I knew I shouldn't spark a fight with her today.

"Just the arcade and then the beach, I got a lift back from someone at about 1. I was fine." I heard her sit at the table and I eventually turned around to see her, she looked beyond tired. "Why were you calling?" I leaned my elbows against the island not really wanted to sit with her at the table.

She ran her fingers over her hair smoothing out the pony tail she must have went to bed in, "I got a phone call from your dad." Pure white hot rage filled my veins, "He is coming home in one week."

"What? That's three months early, so what he beats the shit out of some guy at the pub but just because he cleans a few sheets and eats all his greens he gets out early. That's fucking fair." I scoffed as I began to pace the kitchen. "Also because you insisted on paying for the best lawyer in the state, who was charging what we couldn't afford and you knew that but still it had to be the best for your psycho husband, and now we're stuck here in this small apartment because you kept paying so we had to move."

She stood up the anger rolling off her in waves, "Don't you dare talk about your father that, he loves us and he deserves to be out of that hell."

I laughed in her face at her calling that scum my father, "My father? Loves us? If he loved us he wouldn't have let you give up the house that belonged to your mother, he wouldn't have let you work overtime until near death and he sure as hell wouldn't have ended up in prison." With that I grabbed my phone and earphones and left the flat.

Instead of doing my usual steady jog I just ran, ran faster than I have ever in my life. The adrenaline was coursing through me, the fear that _he_ was going to be in. I couldn't handle that, I couldn't see him again. So when my muscles began to scream in pain I ignored them, I was struggling to breath and I could hear the blood gushing in my ears over my loud music. But I didn't stop until eventually my legs couldn't do it anymore and they gave way. I landed in a heap on the concreate pavement.

Still on my knees I pulled my earphones out and slammed my phone on the ground as I stared at the gravel beneath me, the adrenaline wearing off and the anger from my argument with my mum gone. I could just feel my muscles aching and my knees getting little stones pushed into the open cuts as I stayed there. Feeling pathetic I stood up and looked at my knees, they were bleeding but I knew they looked a lot worse than they really were. Just as I was about to head home my phone rang and Zach's caller ID came up from when I saved it last night.

I contemplated not answering it but I kind of wanted him right now, because last night I didn't once think about my mum or my dad so I answered it, "Hey."

My voice mustn't have sounded as calm as it should have, "What's wrong Cammie, you sound a bit breathless?"

"I've just been on a run."

"Okay, do you want me to pick you up in about an hour so you can get changed?"

Before I could even think of saying to yes to that my lips were moving on their own accord, "Actually I kind of need your help right now, I fell over and it kind of hurts to walk so I was wondering if you could come pick me up?" Without missing a beat he answered yes and I told him where I was so he could come and get me.

About five minutes later Zach pulled up and was knelt down in front of me as I sat with my back against the side wall of a bakery, one of his hands was on my calves and it spread warmth throughout my whole body. The other he lightly dusted over the edge of the main cut on my left leg, which was the worst. "Damn Cammie you know how to fall." I laughed lightly at his comment but I could hear the sincerity and concern in his voice, I could feel the caution in his touch as his hands were on me. "Let's get you into the car and then back home so we can clean you up, do you want to go to the hospital?"

I stiffened and jolted my head up my eyes meeting his, they were a dark green and I couldn't look away, "No home and no hospital. You played football last year, I'm sure you've had worse injuries can you just help me?" I don't know what it was but Zach's eyes seemed to get a litter darker and I was worried he was about to burst but he didn't he just nodded and placed his hands on my arm pits pulling me up and then wrapped one arm around my lower back and the other under my knees and carried me to his car.

When we pulled up at his the knees had stopped bleeding and the pain was getting stronger as the adrenaline from the morning was all gone. I was about to open the door when Zach was there already with his arms in the position for me to go back into them again. He had tight hold of me yet his touch was soft, he steadied me to stop me bouncing with each step and I had my arms around his neck my fingers entwined and resting on the back of his neck.

He opened the door with some difficulty, "I'm sorry about all this, I realise you probably think I'm stupid and a pain in the ass for calling you."

Placing me down so I was sitting on his counter top he stood in front of me, "I'm not mad at you." I smiled at the softness of his voice, and then he filled the sink with warm water and got a clean flannel from a cupboard under me. He put it in the water and then rung it out, "Lift your legs up here." I nodded and turned so my legs were on the counter top.

He placed on hand on my thigh as he cleaned all the blood from my legs before getting to the actual wounds. He didn't ask but I had to fill the silence, "My mum and I got into an argument; my dad's getting out in a week." I felt Zach stop slightly and saw the muscles in his back stiffen slightly though his top. "He is getting out early, I don't want him out at all and we got into an argument because I said that and had a go at her for making us broke for constantly paying for the best lawyer in the state. He doesn't deserve to be out, he needs to rot."

It was silent for a bit, "I went out for a run and I couldn't slow down, I just kept getting faster and I knew I had to stop but I couldn't feel anything and then eventually my legs gave way." By now Zach had cleaned up most of the blood and had an antiseptic wipe.

"This is going to hurt," I nodded as he placed it on the cut and winced but he placed his hand on my bare thigh and rubbed it with his thumb relaxing the muscles, "Why don't you want him out? I get he beat that guy up but he served his time."

Zach did have a point but it wasn't as simple as that, "He didn't just beat _that_ guy up." Standing up straight both of the cuts clean and they had a big plaster on each one. He gave me a look to carry on, his eyes boring into mine making me want to run, after a few moments I eventually carried on, "There's a reason I don't want him in the house and a reason why the minute he left I started boxing." I looked down at my lap before I finished the sentence.

"Cam," I didn't look at him, I couldn't so he placed his fingers under my chin so he could look at face, "Did he _hurt_ you?" Not being able to say it I just nodded. Zach's eyes turned practically black and he closed them, his nostrils flaring as he breathed heavily and his chest rose fast and hard.

I placed my hand on his chest and he seemed to calm down a bit, his hand moved from my chin to my neck his thumb tracing my cheek bone. "He only hit me twice, it wasn't even that hard. But its fine, he hadn't done it for about two months before he was arrested. My mum started working away for a while and he missed her so instead of cheating on her drank and he gets a short fuse when he drinks. Hence him being in jail." My explanation didn't seem to calm Zach, he clenched him fists and I could see his arms shaking as he tried to control it, a vein in his neck bulged as he ground his teeth together.

His face was so close to mine, somewhere during my explanation I was back with my legs dangling off the counter and him between my thighs, I could hear a growl from the back on his throat. I placed both of my hands on his face and he relaxed slightly, I moved one hand to one of his fists and pulled it so it was flat against my hand then he gripped my hand entwining out fingers.

Eventually he opened his eyes, "How can your mum do all that for him even after he did that?" As he spoke I moved my fingers so they were pushing the hair that had fallen into his eyes back onto his head. As my hands moved his grip of my fingers tightened and the hand that was flat out on the counter had moved to my waist.

"She doesn't know, and she is never going to." My voice was so quiet, as I felt as though there was no air in my lungs from the way his hand gripped my waist and his thumb traced circles on my hip bone.

"Who knows?" He too was whispering now, I didn't know why but I think it had something to do with our wandering hands and if it the same effect on him than me it was because it was hard to breath.

One of my hands was on the nape of his neck my nails running over the short soft hairs, the other resting on his shoulder. His hands were both of my hips holding them with a force that was both soft and controlling. My eyes were going over his whole body, there was a small scar on his ear from where I presume it was cut by a hairdresser and he had a cluster of barely noticeable freckles on his nose. There was stubble over his cheeks that could only be seen from his close and I got see he had am ear piercing hole on his left ear lobe. I could feel the muscles under his shirt, they weren't bulky but certainly noticeable, and I knew he worked out from talking about routines in the past. I used to go to the gym with him and Grant until I couldn't afford the membership any longer. I'd never been this close to him and I was captivated, trying to take in everything I could yet I had no idea why.

I breathed out my answer, "You." Finally looking at his eyes to see they were already one mine. The little break I had inside of me was ripped from my lungs at that moment, I gripped tighter on the tuffs of his hair and my fingers dug into his shoulders. I heard the moan that rumbled at the back of his throat but didn't quite leave his lips. I realised I was pulling his body closer to mine, and he was doing the same putting my hips on the last part of the counter I could be on without falling off. We were breathing the same air and I could feel his stomach touching mine, I didn't want to move unless it was to get closer.

Just as our faces got closer there was a knock at the front door, we didn't move just passed glances from lips to eyes. The feeling of electricity was addicting. The person knocked again and just as Zach was about to let go I heard it open and Grant's booming voice, "Zach I can see your car on the driveway, where are you?" The door between the kitchen and the hallway was closed meaning Grant couldn't see us and our close proximity.

We were silent for a moment longer and then I unwrapped my arms from him and he stepped away and busied himself with the first aid stuff as I tried to make my lungs work again and my head to stop feeling like I had drank half a dozen beers. This feeling beat anything else in the world. "In here."

Grant came into the kitchen and looked a bit shocked to see me sitting on the counter with blood on my fingers and plaster covered knees, "What happened?"

"I was out running and I tripped, pretty hard, and Zach called me so I asked for his help." I explained and Zach turned around nodding in agreement. Grant lightly inspected my knees, "I'm fine they weren't that deep. I might get a little scar on my left one but I'll be fine."

Zach handed me the blood stained wet towel to wash my hands and then I noticed blood on his neck and cheek from where my hands had been, "Come here." I grabbed his arm and wiped it but when my fingers touched his skin I didn't seem to want to move them. We kind of looked at each other, our eyes not moving.

Grant cleared his throat, "Why was Zach phoning you?" His eyes lingered on us for a while trying to figure out what was going on. The atmosphere was thick with something but I couldn't pin point it or maybe I was just imagining it my mind foggy from earlier.

"Yeah we were going to hang out today." Zach answered as he chucked the towel into the washing machine. "So what brings you to me humble home Newman?"

"I came to ask if you want to join the rest of us for pizza before we go to Macey's to help her set up for the party tonight?" Zach nodded and said he would be there and then I did to as Grant explained I saved him a journey. I didn't get Grant he always refused to just phone someone, he always insisted on asking them something face to face. I kind of liked it, it was different. "Well I'll leave you two to _hang_." The suggestiveness in his tone was obvious as he sauntered out of the house the way he came.

I got off the counter and turned to face Zach keeping him at arm's length, "I'm going to go home and get showered do you still want to hang out later?"

I ran my fingers over my hair to smooth out my hair as Zach picked up his keys, "I'll drive you and then wait outside, and we could get some food at the mall because I need to get something for Mace for the party tonight." I nodded and said that I needed to get something to wear for the party since Macey basically told me that my clothes weren't going to be good enough.

On the car journey back to mine we didn't speak, it wasn't like before where it was comfortable I could tell Zach was still annoyed about what I told him about my dad. His eyes kept falling to the scar on my hair line, I knew he was wondering what it was from and I knew I didn't want to tell him. I turned the radio on when Radar Love by Golden Earring came on, I loved this song.

Trying to break the tension I turned it up and began smirking as Zach tapped his fingers against the wheel along with the instruments, even though I couldn't sing for shit I sang along with it and Zach soon followed in suit until we were both belting out the words with be looking like I was having a seizure in the passenger seat from pretending to play an air guitar. When the song ended he turned it down and we were still laughing, I looked over at him and saw he was smiling like a little kid. I always noticed that about him, he didn't half ass smiles he always went for it, his teeth out and his eyes practically glistening. He looked over at me and I smiled back at him, I couldn't shake the feeling from my chest. There was something happening between us, a tension building up and I didn't know how to control it.

 **Thanks for all the feedback, I hope you like this longer chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

Zach and I were standing in the lift going up to my apartment, "If me mum is still there, which I am sure she is, can we just quickly get to my room? You can stay and chat if you want but I can't really talk to her at the moment and I know she'll ask about my dad and why I hate him so much but" His hands were on my shoulders making me look at him and stop talking.

"Wherever you go, I go." I knew he was only talking about the apartment but a part of me thought he meant something a bit more serious, maybe it was wishful thinking or his touch making my mind hallucinate but I was hoping I was right because I liked it when he was around. I just nodded and then the door opened and Zach followed me out of the lift.

I opened the door and placed my phone on the table by the door and Zach slipped his shoes off, I smiled at his politeness since I just bled all over his counter top, my mum then appeared from the kitchen. "Honey where have you been? You know I don't like it when you work out angry, you never know when to stop." I glanced up at her and grabbed Zach's hand and pulled him towards the small set of stairs that led to my room.

"I fell over and Zach helped me. I'm going to go and get changed then we're going to the mall for food and some stuff for Macey's tonight." One of Zach's hands were in mine and I stopped at the stairs as my mum continued talking to me, knowing ignoring her would just cause another argument I didn't want to have in front of Zach.

"Cammie we need to finish off our conversation, we need to make plans for your father coming home." At her words I began to go dizzy, my world seemingly tilting on its axis but then Zach placed his other hand on my waist from behind me and my world stopped moving and he anchored it into place. My mum couldn't see his hand on my waist since it was the side of me she couldn't see, but I saw her eyes lingering on our joined hands and the ghost of a smirk on her lips.

"That conversation is over. You do what you want, just let me know so I can make plans for when it's on." I started moving up to the door that was at the top of the steps, to try and bribe me to stop complaining my mum gave me the biggest room that covered majority of the downstairs surface area. It had a bathroom and a large bedroom. I loved it, it was mine and I was grateful my mum gave me it.

"You can't avoid him forever." I didn't answer her instead I just closed my door behind her.

I sat on my bed and untied my shoes kicking them under my bed, "I thought apartments were one floor." Zach was looking around my room as my corner of photos that I had taken covering the wall with boxes of records sitting beneath them and a record player on the small table.

"Yeah they can be, but ours if sort of two floors. There is a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom upstairs and this is the upstairs. I have a bathroom there." I pointed at the door next to my wardrobe. "I'm going to get changed and clean up a bit, make yourself at home. If you want to put a record on you can but scratch it and I'll have to kill you." I heard Zach laugh as I grabbed some jeans and a vest before entering the bathroom.

I quickly washed my face and sprayed dry shampoo on my hair not having time to shower, I then quickly did my makeup and then put my skinny jeans on and my black vest that was quite loose tucking it in showing my belt and brushed my hair and left it down. I left the bathroom and heard Zach had put on my Swim Deep record, "You have amazing music taste." He was still crouching down looking through all my records.

I placed the jacket I was putting on down and sat crossed legged next to him avoiding going on my knees, "Thanks, do you have a record player?" I glanced at Zach and he was engrossed in the back of an old Rolling Stones record I have, as if my words only just reached him he looked up a bit dazed clearly not having a clue what I asked, "Do you have a record player?"

I smiled at his confusion, liking the way his eyes went wide and he didn't look so striking but instead innocent. "No I don't, didn't really understand the hype over it. I always though digital would sound just as good as vinyl. I now realise I am wrong." I laughed at him as he gestured towards the record player. "Do you have that song from the car on vinyl?" I nodded and flicked through the box it was in and quickly switched them over as it came on.

We were silent for a moment listening to it, smiles on our lips as we relived blasting it in the car earlier today. "I think this is my new favourite song." I spoke, I've always loved it but now I loved it because of that car journey. I wasn't thinking about anything else in that moment but having fun and that hasn't happened in ages.

Zach titled his head towards me, without even thinking about it I was standing in front of his now standing figure my socked feet touching his. "Me too," his voice was low and husky like earlier, his eyes fell down my body looking at my outfit change, "You look great." I nodded not being able to speak as he moved so his body was nearly against mine. We weren't touching yet but the air became thick and I wanted, no needed, to touch him. _For him to anchor me like earlier_. I looked up from staring at the ground and his eyes were on my lips and they were no longer light but a dark green and my insides tingled at the greed in them as they searched my face.

When his eyes finally met mine, nothing else existed but him so when he placed a hand on my neck his long fingers reaching the roots of my hair I could just about suppress the moan that rose in my throat. I reached out for something to touch and held onto his waist as his other hand landed on mine. His fingers seemed to move deeper in my hair until they were now reaching the back of my neck.

His touch was delicate and I wanted to feel a lot more of him. I pulled him closer at his waist and he moved his hand from my waist back putting it under my shirt onto my skin making me gasp. Involuntary my head tilted back slightly as his touch sent a wave of ecstasy through me. A smirk played on Zach's lips as he watched me and I slowly moved my fingers up his back feeling his muscles contract with my touch. I dug my fingers into his shoulder blades stealing his smirk as I heard a sharp intake of breath as my head was more forward meaning his mouth was next to my ear.

"What are you doing to me?" It was a whisper and it seemed to be more of a thought accidently spoken aloud, but I couldn't help myself when Zach said that I kissed the bit of neck that my lips were so easily exposed to. Before I even had a chance to remove my lips Zach's hands were tight around my waist, one still under my shirt and the other over it and he traced his lips along my neck. They went along my collar bone and I had to grip tighter onto his back his shirt bunched in my fists to stop my knees from buckling and falling to the ground.

Zach's lips were moving along further to my lips quickly, and my hands were now deep in the curls on his head and his hand causing flames of warmth to erupt across my back. Eventually his lips found mine, they touched them softly with a sort of weariness and then when my grip tightened on his hair from the teasing of it he crashed them back against them. It didn't take a lot of thought to do this with Zach, it seemed natural, my lips just moved against him and the music in the background had vanished and nothing else in the world mattered at that moment.

All I could see or think of was him and the way my whole body was drunk on his touch.

He stepped forward his lips still on mine and I followed in suit by going backwards until I was flush against the wall his body moving against mine. As his tongue went across my lips I gasped and my head fell back again, his lips then moving back to my neck, I had to cling to his back as his lips moved gently across my skin there. I didn't know neck kissing was this good but I thought I was going to explode, I was practically numb with ecstasy and from the way Zach was moving his hips against me I knew he too was feeling it.

His lips started moving up my collar bone and onto my shoulder; I moaned his name softly against his neck kissing it like I did a few moments before. "What are we doing?" I was breathing heavily against his neck as his lips still moved against my skin.

Still with his lips against my neck, "I don't know, but I can't stop. You're making it very hard to." I didn't realise I was doing anything. His lips came back on me, "We should probably stop." Although he said that he didn't stop as his lips moved back against mine.

I knew he was right. We were friends and not even that close, but I have told him something that made my vulnerable and I didn't seem to control my body around him as it seemed to crave his touch. But at that moment I wasn't really one for thinking straight, "Probably." Zach then pulled away and his fingers were deep in my hair from stopping my head hitting the wall, I looked at him his pupils were large and his lips were swollen. His neck was red from where I was kissing so god knows that mine was like. His shirt was rumpled from where I was grabbing it and his hair was sticking out from my fingers pulling at it.

And he never looked better.

I smiled up at him my fingers looping through the belt loops of his jeans, "We should probably go." I looked up at him and his fingers were on my cheeks his thumb moving against my cheekbone.

"Probably." I laughed slightly and then pushed myself off the wall making him move too, I sorted out my top from where he had pulled it up and brushed my hair again and slipped my converse and jacket on covering my red neck and shoulder from Zach's lips. Just as we were about to leave my room I turned and saw Zach's hair was still a mess so I reached up and sorted it out, his eyes rolled shut "If you want to leave this room anytime soon you're going to have to stop touching me."

We were at the mall now and I couldn't help but feel confused around Zach, I didn't usually make a habit of making out with my friends so this is all new territory to me. We decided to get the stuff for Macey's before the food, I needed a dress and Zach needed to get some decorations and plastic cups. "I'll meet you here in about twenty minutes?" I said as I started walking backwards from the fountain heading towards the Topshop around the corner.

Zach then turned around confused and grabbed my wrist, "Why?"

"It'll be quicker, you get your crap and I'll get mine." I didn't see the problem it seemed like a plausible idea. But then Zach pulled me towards him and practicality blew straight out of the window. "Or we could just stay together," my body was closer to his but the only contact was his fingers around my wrist and the teasing of it all was making me dizzy, "it's a big mall, you might get lost."

I heard him laugh softly but I didn't want to look at his face because I knew there would be a repeat of my bedroom. Zach then removed his fingers from my wrist and wrapped his arm around my shoulders steering me towards the stuff he needed first. It was a friendly gesture that I have been in with him once or twice, Grant many times, yet with my side flush with his I felt flames spread across my whole body.

We had got all the stuff for him and I picked up the dress which was just a rust orange slip dress and we were now sat in the food hall with a plate of fries and two sandwiches. "Zach?" His eyes met mine as he looked up from the text he was replying to, "You know what I told you about my dad?" He nodded his grip tightening on his phone, "Don't tell anyone please. I shouldn't have really told you to be honest, I just kind of wanted to and I know that's selfish of me."

His phone was now on the table his hands now clenched in fists, "Selfish, how?" I could hear the stiffness of his jaw as he spoke.

Looking at him dead in the eye, the anger from my mum and my pathetic excuse of a dad building up inside of me, venom spitting from my lips I spat, "It is my problem, and I shouldn't have burdened you with it. You don't have to sort it for me, I'm going to. I have actually."

He scoffed, "Yeah you're dealing with it bloody fantastically, you know with the whole running until you can't take anymore and ripping your knees open." His eyes were in slits and I knew I was getting to him; the veins in his arms were bursting all the way up to his neck.

My eyes widened at his tone, it was angry and it was at me. I snapped at him, "Look I'm sorry if I don't have my shit together all the time." I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder as I stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you, I wish I never told you and I sure as hell wish I didn't answer your phone call because maybe today would have never happened." My voice was sharp and my heart was racing with anger.

I knew I wasn't angry at Zach, far from it, but I had said the words and there was no way of taking them back or the hurt that crossed his face and filled his eyes. So I just walked out of the food court and got the next bus home trying to ignore the ache in my chest.

 **I'm not too sure on this chapter. Thanks for reading, leave a review?**


	4. Chapter 4

I hadn't spoken to Zach since the mall, it was now Macey's party and I was wedged between Nick and Grant as they both complained about waiting for Bex and Mace to come down stairs.

"Does she not know that this is her party?" Nick looked pissed and I smirked at him.

"You do realise that you _aren't_ dating Macey?" I raised an eyebrow at him and he just glared at me in response before turning to stare at the stairs again.

I felt Grant jab my ribs from the left, "Why can't they just get ready like your little Camster here? Whip on a killer dress and some heels, put some crap on your face and boom done in record time and still look hot."

Nick and I both turned to look at Grant this time, "You do realise that you _are_ dating Bex?" A look of panic shot across his face, "Also you think I put crap on my face? Very charming."

He was getting flustered under my gaze and I couldn't hide the smirk, but it quickly faltered when his eyes landed on my knees and he looked like he just found a cure to cancer. "Tell me Cammie what's going on between you and Zach, you both looked pretty cosy today around his. Very flustered, almost like I caught you on the verge of him taking your V card."

Firstly Grant had blown it way out of proportion in an attempt to embarrass me, which by my heated cheeks he succeeded. Secondly I now had an excited Nick nearly jumping out of his seat at the prospect of a new scandal and some gossip within the group which he loved. "You lost your virginity to Zach?"

Staring at him wide eyed and smacking his arm with my fist, "He's bullshitting you, Christ! Also what makes you guys think I'm still a virgin?" They shot me a look as if to say I was being ridiculous to try and insinuate such a thing. "Guys I'm telling you the truth, I lost it about three months after my sixteenth to Danny from English Lit at a party that I was too drunk at to recall much."

Now there are good things about having guy friends, one being able to have people who treat you and love you like a brother would. A negative would be that pretty much exact same reason as with it comes the belief that they own me and have to approve any boy I look at. "That guy!" Nick shouted pointed at Danny who sat with his head in a potted plant being sick in it. "You've got to be kidding me? You deserve something way more than that."

Although I was embarrassed I couldn't help but smile at his words, no matter how wrong they were, "Look it was around the time the shit happened with my dad happened and I had drank half a bottle of tequila on my own and everyone in the group was hooking up with someone or each other. I was way past standards after the amount I had drunk." They were still looking at me like I told them I was thinking about dropping out of school and becoming a whore but then I noticed their girls approaching, "There's your girls now go get your dicked stroked and I'll see you later."

Smiling at Bex and Macey as I past them I headed to the kitchen to get a drink, as usual it wasn't that busy as people just used this room as a drop off or pick up point for booze before going into the garden to the pool or to the living room to the dancing. Grabbing a bottle of beer I sat up on the counter sipping it. Behind me I heard someone stumbling against the glass doors and turned to see Zach walking in clutching a red cup the contents sloshing against his white top staining it. On his waist clung a cute brunette who was obviously tipsy too.

They started laughing hysterically and I knew I should have just turned back around to pretend it didn't bother me, then maybe Zach would walk through without noticing me and then he wouldn't have seen my eyes filling with jealousy as my stomach twisted. His laughter faded out a bit and the girl smiled in the distance still laughing at whatever just happened. I couldn't tear my gaze from his, his eyes ran down my body lingering at my slightly exposed cleavage, and my legs that were quite a bit on show since I was sitting down.

I couldn't control the feeling of wanting him to be pressed up against me as his touch ran against his lips making them a darker pink than before. "I'll see you later Lex." The girl just nodded and was already going off to her friends before he finished the sentence. We then fell into silence; the only other people in the room were two boys at the kitchen table rolling up joints already too high to care what we did. Eventually I turned back around so my back was facing him and sipped my beer again. "I see the dress is a great fit."

I scoffed in response. "Look Cam can we forget about today?" He was walking over to me now standing opposite me but still about a foot away.

I lifted an eyebrow at him and kept my gaze on him for a moment, "You mean forget it ever happened?"

He seemed to perk up now, his tone less depressing. "Yeah totally, just to how it was before."

I slipped off the counter top and stood in front of him and looped my index finger around his belt loop pulling his hips against mine, I heard his breath hitch in his throat as I leaned up so my lips were by his ear. Making sure they brushed his skin, "Consider it forgotten. Today never happened, its back to normal where we are merely friends through mutual taste in company." I kept my voice low the entire time and then pulled away seeing the happiness drain from his face.

Stepping away I began to walk out of the kitchen and then tilted my head to the side, "See you around Goode."

I don't remember picking up my fourth beer but as I swayed my hips with Macey along to the music I couldn't care less, I wasn't thinking about anything from Zach to my dad and it was pure blurry bliss. Nick was behind Macey his hands on her hips moving himself against her and if she wasn't drunk she would beat him away and play hard to get but she had drank more than me so she wrapped her arms around his neck stretching her arms behind her head. They had that stupid annoying relationship where they hooked up with each other when they were drunk but would refuse to admit feelings when they were sober. Yet they weren't allowed to talk to someone from the opposite sex without the other seething with jealousy.

The final guy in our group was Adam, who was your classic high school heart throb with leather jacket and guitar strumming fingers. He stood behind me and I smiled up at him his features a bit hazy with my beer goggles on, I wrapped my arms around his neck as he placed his hands on my hips. "Having fun?"

I nodded smiling like crazy, I was pretty close to Adam we used to flirt a bit but then we realised that we had no romantic or sexual feelings for one another. However I would have to be dumb to not be able to admit that he was gorgeous with high cheekbones and his dark blonde hair long on his head making it always fall into his eyes. "I'm drunk, but don't tell anyone because my mum will kill me." I was talking, no more like slurring, to him as if I was telling him the biggest secret in the world.

He smirked at me, "Cammie I am aware of your state. Do you want to go and get some water?" I didn't really have to comprehension to give him an answer so he grabbed my hand and weaved me into the kitchen. "Sit." He instructed pulling a chair from the table near the sink as he got me a big glass of water. He knelt down in front of me with one hand on my arm holding me up right as he held the glass for me as I gulped it down.

I finished it off and grinned widely, "Another one bar tender."

Shaking his head smiling he refilled the glass and handed it back to me, "Feeling a bit more sober?" I nodded. "Do you want to tell me why you're so adamant to get shit faced tonight?" I avoided his gaze entirely not wanting to tell him; with my track record today I'd probably tell him every last detail about me. "Please Cam."

Not removing my eyes from my lap I answered my words still slightly slurred together, "My dad's being released next week, my mum hates me, and Zach is off with cute brunettes with their shit together."

Adam furrowed his eye brows together, "Well I get the dad and mum thing, even though she doesn't hate you, but why do you care who Zach is with? You never have before."

"Yeah well that was before I kissed him earlier today." I gulped my water, Adam didn't really know what to say so with the alcohol in my system I carried on rambling, "But now he wants nothing to do with me because he realised what a fuck up I am, we had an argument and he went off with this girl called _Lex_ so we're forgetting it ever happened and I'm perfectly fine with it."

"Firstly, you are most definitely _not_ a fuck up Cameron Morgan. Secondly, you're going to have to tell me why you were kissing him in the first place since I didn't even think you knew him that well, and finally the girl Lex you are so jealous of is his brother's girlfriend." I looked up to see an amused expression across his face.

"But he was all over her!" He gave me a pointed look, "Well she was holding onto him and they were laughing." I knew I sounded pathetic but I couldn't get rid of the jealousy.

"Well due to the fact she drank twice as much as you as well as doing slammers with the football boys I'm not surprised she needed to hold onto him to stand up." I looked at him through my lashes ashamed, "Do you want me to take you home?" I nodded and he took my glass off me and wrapped his arm around me waist steadying me as the alcohol was still in my system.

I woke up the next morning my mouth feeling like the inside of a trash can, rolling over so my eyes weren't facing the blaring sunlight of my opened curtains I was met by the sight of Adam sitting on my desk chair his jeans off and asleep. I was then very aware of the fact I only had on underwear and my dress and bra and was on the floor next to be bed, _what the hell happened last night?_

The last thing I remembered was seeing Zach with that girl; I don't know why it bothered me so much. It shouldn't I mean we aren't together we were just friends who kissed once. No matter how amazing it was it was just a spur of the moment. It was fast and really out of the ordinary for me but, I couldn't really control it. Zach's touch did crazy things to me, but this happens right? Sometimes you just meet someone who makes your head spin and feel safe. It was probably because I told him about my dad, and about a month into our groups joining I did have a pretty big crush on him which ended in a heated drunken make out session. So there's always been some sort of sexual tension there.

I don't know what I'm trying to convince myself of, but I can't like Zach.

I grabbed a vest from under my pillow that I didn't put away after getting changed for Macey's last night and then grabbed some shorts and went down stairs to make some coffee and food for Adam and I. However I already knew he didn't have a hangover since his car keys are here so he obviously didn't drink.

As I was pouring the coffees my mother entered the kitchen, "So we've started this again, drinking until we can't walk and inviting guys to stay the night?" I couldn't be bothered to answer her so I just put some bread in the toaster, "Just because you're ignoring me doesn't stop the fact your dad is coming home whether you like it or not. He's my husband, and your father, and we love him."

I turned at glare at her the tray of the two mugs of coffee and slices of two in my hands as I narrowed my eyes at her, " _You_ love him." Then I left the kitchen at when up the steps to my room. I kicked open the door it hitting off the wall making Adam stir and my head thump. "Morning sunshine," I faked cheeriness as I sat crossed legged on my bed and placed the tray down and Adam sat on the floor at the end of the bed sipping his coffee and biting into his toast.

I sipped the coffee liking the way the caffeine made me feel, "Would you like me to fill in the blank that is last night?" Adam asked with a smirk on his lips, he took my munching of toast as I cue to continue, "Well after you got smashed I helped you out and you told me about how you were pissed off at your mum, dad and Zach."

"Zach?"

He nodded clearly loving this far too much, "Yeah you were jealous of Lexi, or _Lex_ as you liked to put it," mocking me by saying her name as if she was the devil, "Who is his brother's long term girlfriend by the way. Then you told me about your kiss which you wouldn't shut up about as I drove you home."

I just sat there my mug in my hands my mouth in an O shape my cheeks pink of embarrassment, "And my clothes?"

"You were pretty drunk and to make Zach jealous you wanted to have sex with me so when I turned you down you proceeded to undress until I eventually got you to go bed where you passed out."

Lying back onto my bed covering my face with my hands, "Oh my god I am so sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking!"

"Hey, calm down its nothing I haven't seen before. Look I'm flattered but you're still always going to be the girl I was sick while kissing." Yeah that wasn't the best memory, which was when our relationship quickly turned from romantic to platonic. "Thanks for the coffee and toast but I have to go, got a shift in twenty minutes so I'll see you later." He leaned down to kiss my forehead, "You need to show you smell like an inside of a liquor cabinet." I smiled sweetly at him sarcastically thanking him as he grabbed his jacket and shoes and then left.

I had showered and drank my body wait in green crap to cure my hangover and was now over at Macey's to help her clean up the mess from the party. Macey and I was picking everything up and putting them into black bags, Grant was moving furniture around, Bex was cleaning the bathrooms, Nick was cleaning and changing all the bed sheets since most of the rooms saw some form of action last night.

"Are you going to tell me why you're more pissed off than usual?" Macey asked as she chucked some glass beer bottles into the recycle.

Trying to act nonchalant I replied, "Just hungover."

"You did drink a lot last night Cam which makes me think something is wrong, also you look like you're about to kill someone." Macey always knew when something was up; she had this constant inner lie detector that you could never pass.

"Right if I tell you something can you not ask me any follow up questions?" She stopped what she was doing and nodded, "Well yesterday I kind of kissed someone who's a friend, we are kind of close but not like deep close sort of Nick and me close. But it wasn't _just_ a kiss, it was like in that moment I couldn't think of anything else. Whenever he touched me I would feel secure and everything in the world stopped spinning out of control, and even if it didn't it didn't matter because he was there making me forget out it. He touched my arm and I thought I was going to explode. Is that normal?"

She looked at me with a mixture of amusement and curiosity, "I will find out who you're talking about so you may as well cut the crap and tell me," She was greeted with a glare and silence, "But I wouldn't over think it, some people just have that effect on you. Remember when Grant moved here and within a week of knowing him Bex would practically have an orgasm whenever he so much as brushed past her? Some people just make you feel a certain way, also since you and this guy are friends it's not completely out of the ordinary to feel at ease with him there. Don't let it get to you, you may think its absurd how fast paced its going but that's what passion does to people." She shrugged and then carried on with the cleaning as I just stood there staring at the sink letting her words register. Macey was right, but I can just ignore it.

 **Thanks for reading, please leave a review I'd really love it. I understand that some of you may think the Zach and Cammie scene in the last chapter was a bit intense but you have to remember they have been friends for a year, even though not close, they will be comfortable with each other. Also Cammie was feeling vulnerable, and sometimes you don't have to be together with someone for a while to have that affect.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I re-read the last chapter after getting back from work and realised there was quite a few typos, they've been fixed and sorry if there are any typos in this one I do try and fix them all but I have a lot on today.**

The weekend was over and that meant I only had just five days to get to terms with my dad returning if I count today, which I am. The whole gang of Macey, Bex, Grant, Nick, Adam, Zach and me met every day at the bleachers before school, which was our usual hang out spot. Mainly due to convenience because the boys usually had some sort of sports practice and Bex and I normally had track in the mornings and Macey liked to get a tan.

Everyone else was already sitting on the bleachers after showering away the sweat from morning training but I was purposefully trying to be slow however I was getting hounded through texts off Bex to get out of the locker rooms. I walked across the football field and I saw Zach sitting next to Nick talking quite intently so before he noticed I had arrived I sat on the other side of the of the group next to Bex. "Everyone listen up I've got great news, little miss Bloody Knees over here only went and broke the record for the fastest lap this morning in training. Although it was mine who she beat I'll let it slide since I love her."

"That's fantastic." Macey squealed wrapping her arms around my neck, a little too tight.

Struggling to breath I peeled her arms from me, "Thanks, and let's not start calling me Bloody Knees." Bex just laughed and slapped my healing knees, "Bex that hurt."

I looked up and was met by Zach staring at me, "Well done Cam." His voice sounded happy for me but his eyes were filled with hurt. I remember saying something to him; I just can't really remember what. However by the look he was giving me it must have been harsh.

I lifted my arms up to tie my hair into a pony tail since this heat of the Virginia summer was too high when Bex grabbed my arms and pulled them down, "Cam you can see your tattoo!"

I raised an eyebrow at her, it was too early for Bex's weird behaviour, "It's not a secret that I have a tattoo, chill out. I forgot to pack my bandeau top to cover it up." I was wearing a sleeveless vest that hung loosely under my arms. You could see the flower part of my tattoo.

"Yet you didn't forget to pack a cute lace bralet?" She knew I was lying but I didn't see the problem, I would get a detention or maybe two. "If you get another detention about that thing you'll be kicked off the team for the competition in two weeks, we need you there if we want to secure first place."

I huffed, "What do you want me to do? I have a hoodie in my locker but I'll be a puddle of sweat by the end of the day."

She looked around her caramel eyes scanning the boys as they sat in discussion about some new football tactic when she smiled like she had a million dollar idea, "Goode give Cammie your shirt." My eyes widened and Adam looked at me with an amused expression, Zach looked at Bex with a confused expression clearly having missed the disaster that was my wardrobe. "You can see her tattoo and since she packed this lace thing," she lifted my arm up pointing at it to show him, "that doesn't cover it instead of a bandeau you need to give her your check shirt so she can cover it."

I yanked my arm back as Zach agreed and took off his shirt handing it over to me, "Thanks." He just nodded but kept his eyes on me the whole time as I slipped it on and rolled up the sleeves. "I'll give you it back at the end of the day."

Just as the bell rang for homeroom Macey sat up in a hurry, "Wait I forgot to say earlier we can't meet up at mine tonight. It'll have to one of you guys." She looked at Bex and I, we always had a movie night on Monday nights. Don't really know why, it's just a tradition we have and it was forced a lot more that college was looming and we would be leaving each other.

"Not mine, I'm staying at Grants at the moment because we have about seven wasp nests in the loft."

Both of them turned to face me their eyes wide and begging, "Fine, my mum is going out tonight for some company thing so we'll have the house to ourselves."

Then I felt Nick sling his arm around my shoulders, "Well then why don't we make this a whole gang affair, rather than just you girlies. What time does your mum leave Cam?"

Not bothering fighting because they would show up anyway I told them when she would leave and told then they had to be gone at one because she usually got back at two.

"Miss Morgan if you fail to complete another assignment on time I will have to fail you for the semester and you won't be able to graduate at the end of the year with the rest of your class." Meet my chemistry teacher, otherwise known as my worst enemy.

"I'm sorry; I'll have it for tomorrow and then the next one in a week early. I promise." After that and a bit more grovelling the grey haired man finally let me leave. I love chemistry but I just can't be bothered to sit and write report after report about the experiments, I always get them done just a few weeks late. But I did do this one, just forgot to print it off due to my mind being slightly preoccupied.

When I left the classroom and went to the lunch queue an arm slung around my shoulder and I looked up to be met by Dylan, my first time who can't seem to get over a one night stand over a year ago, "How's my favourite blonde today? May I say loving the shorts, getting a nice look at those long legs of yours." He smirked at me and moved his arm from my shoulder to my waist.

"Was going pretty great until some over grown child tried to hit on me and feel me up." I smirked at him as I spun out of his hold which had gone south of the waist band of my shorts. "Still not good at this flirting stuff are you?"

He knew I was joking, my smile made it obvious, but he still played along nonetheless. "Not particularly, but I tell you what the last time it worked was magnificent. It was a leggy blonde who I rocked the world of; she's not been able to leave my side since." I laughed at him as he pulled me back to his side from my shoulders.

"Alright Casanova let's call it a day." I quickly paid for my lunch and as I was about to sit down I turned around with a smirk on my lips looking up at him, "And honey _I_ rocked _your_ world." Then I sat down at our table with his laughter walking to his table.

"You rocked whose world?" I looked up to see Zach sitting across from me, looking very pissed.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Nick got held back in English, don't know about the rest. Once again, you rocked whose world?" I could tell he was pissed, his fists clenched under the table. "Oh wait we can't talk because we're just friends through having a similar taste."

Then I remembered what I said, and I felt awful with myself. I was pissed off at him and tipsy, "Zach I'm sorry for what I said okay, I didn't mean it. I overreacted at the mall but I was freaking out because you know about my dad. I don't react well to people knowing shit about me, I just shut down. I saw you with that girl and was pissed because you were with _me_ only a few hours before and I hate that, I know you're mad at me you have every right but."

He cut me off, "You were right on Saturday; we'll just go back to normal. The kiss should never have happened, it was a mistake." I stared at him feeling my chest ache, "I will be here for you about your dad but we can't do what we did again, we're friends and that's it."

He was looking at me like I was no one; his eyes weren't the warm ones I looked at when I told him my biggest secret. They weren't the dark hungry ones from my bedroom, they were cold and I was furious. I slammed my hand on the table my rage overtaking every fibre, "No you don't get to do that." People were staring so I lowered my voice, "You can't kiss me like that and then say it was a mistake, I refuse to accept you believe that."

"You're embarrassing yourself." Without even thinking I flipped my tray of lunch up making my chilli splatter across his white shirt and then grabbed his coffee and poured it over his head.

I leaned down so my mouth was at his ear, "I hate you." He was too shocked to move, so was the whole lunch hall. Before he could respond I grabbed my bag and ran.

The late bell for afternoon lesson rung and I was sitting on the bonnet of Bex's truck with a cigarette in my fingers- I know they're bad and kill you but trust me I needed something to relax me. I still had on Zach's shirt and although I was warm under the midday sun and my tattoo would be the least of my worries if I got caught it didn't care. It smelled off him and the cotton had become soft from him wearing it so much. Lying back so my head was on the window I stared up at the sky and for the first time in a while I just wanted to cry.

I didn't want to run. I didn't want to hit something. I didn't want to do anything, I was _too tired_. I just wanted to cry. Cry because Zach wanted to leave me when he was the only person I wanted in that moment, cry because I fucked up my relationship with my mum and cry because I was scared of my dad coming back.

I felt the truck tilt, "You must have a death wish Cameron Morgan." I turned to my British best friend her long brown locks falling down in curls, "What's up Cam, you've been so distant. On Saturday you just got smashed and left, that isn't you." She was so desperate, and it was times like this I wish she knew about _it_. We told each other everything, well nearly everything.

I moved along so she could lie next to me, "I'm sorry." I felt her hand in mine as my words choked on the way up my throat, that simple bit of affection from the closest person I have to a sister made me crumble. My eyes filled with tears and I didn't want to blink them away, I just let them fall. "He's coming home on Saturday."

Bex's fingers tightened around mine, "You ok with that?" Cammie just shook her head as tears silently rolled down her cheeks, "How about you stay at mine for a bit, until he settles in and his presence is less new?"

I tilted my head to face her, a sad smile on my lips, "No I need to face him. But I can't forgive him, you knew what his drinking was like and how angry he got," _Not how violent though,_ "My dad left a long time ago, he isn't the man I grew up with."

"I know, the offer is always there Cam. But maybe he's a changed man and you can learn to love him again."

I turned my head back to face the sky the tops of the buildings blurring with the blue from my tears a pain clenching at my chest, "That's the worst part Bex, I will always love him." It makes no sense but it's true, although I hate him for what he did and for everything he has put my mum and I through there's always going to be some hope holding onto the memories of him sitting me on his lap so I could tell him about my day. The memory of my fourteenth birthday where I got rejected from a boy I liked and he held me and told me he was the only guy I would ever need. There will always be a small part of me that loves him, that's why it is always so hard to see him.

"Another thing is why the hell is Zach covered in your lunch?" I could hear the amusement in her voice.

"He's a dick."

"No he isn't, you know that. I thought from the way you were looking at him this morning your crush had reignited." I raised an eyebrow at her. "What you could barely take your eyes off him this morning, you blushed like crazy when he gave you his shirt and also he was pretty transfixed by you when you were coming over. Thought he was going to have to take a cold shower the way he was looking at your legs."

I laughed and swatted her stomach, "You're so gross! I don't like him like that, and anyway he wants nothing to do with me so. But we did kiss on Saturday, after he helped me out with my knees."

"That was two days ago! Took you two bloody days to tell me you kissed a guy you've been crushing on for a year but when you got an oddly shaped orange you decided to phone me at three in the morning!" She was shouting and I knew she was kind of annoyed but not that much, the smile on her face showed that I had to tell her every last detail.

After explaining it all to her, from me falling to him kissing me in my room she sat with a smirk and raised eyebrows, "You like him."

"No I don't, it was one kiss. Yes I had a crush on him about a year ago but I'm over that."

Completely ignoring my last statement she continued, "You like him." I rolled my eyes at her and she carried out, "You want to do the dirty with him, you want him to ram inside of you." Then in true Bex style she thrust her hips up for full emphasis.

I laughed so hard that the tears that fell before were covered with tears from laughing, "Baxter and Morgan my office now, and Morgan pick up that damn cigarette." We turned to see the head teacher walking back inside the school and I grabbed the cigarette bud.

As we started walking to the office we couldn't stop laughing because Bex carried on telling me how I should just let him "ram it in" or "let it just sit there for a bit". When we walked in the classes were just finishing and Grant and Zach were leaving a classroom together and I swatted Bex to shut up as she rambled on about how great it could be if Zach and I could double date with her and Grant.

I clamped my lips together to stop laughing at the stain on Zach's top, "Hey where were you Bex, you went to the toilet like twenty minutes ago?" Grant looked quite panicked and then he saw me, "Shit Cam have you been crying your eyes are all red and your makeup is a mess."

Before I could answer I Bex did for me, "Went to go see this skiver, this cheeky bitch was sitting on my car smoking. She hasn't been crying, we were just laughing." Grant nodded but I felt the burn of Zach's gaze on me. His eyes travelling across my face and I tilted to look him in the eye and regretted it, they weren't cold but almost dark with desire. However when they met mine they softened and he opened his mouth ready to say something when Bex and I were called into the head's office.

After getting a twenty minute lecture about skipping class and me smoking we got out with detention after school tonight and tomorrow in the library. And luckily our track competition wasn't effected. "I don't see why I get the same punishment than you, I didn't smoke." Bex huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ah yes but you didn't stop me, you allowed me to intoxicate my lungs with tar." I said mocking the head since he said the same thing to Bex when she made the same complaint in his office. "Anyway I'll see you in the library I've got to go to English Lit." Bex nodded and headed to her class as I grabbed my books from my locker and went into the class handing over my late slip.

I sat down avoiding Zach's stare from the far left hand corner of the class as I sat on my seat on the right side of the room. I opened my book and began taking the notes from the board when I felt a wet pencil jabbed on my forehead, I looked up to see Dylan putting his pencil back into his mouth. Gross. "What?"

"Where have you been? Was it because of what you did to Zach's shirt at lunch?" I just shook my head in response, at the mention of his name I glanced at Zach to see he was already looking and he looked pissed. I guess he was still angry at what he found out about Dylan and I. "The rumour is he slept with you."

"That's a rumour, they're never true."

"The rumour about us was."

I glared at him, "Consider it an exception, now can you let me write these notes?"

Just as I turned back to my paper he interrupted my thoughts again, "One more thing, he's staring at you now like you're the last piece of pie he had already called dibs on and I'm about to steal it."

Giving him a look of confusion, "You're suck a freak, now piss off and let me catch up." When he turned back smirking I turned to look at Zach and he did look like he was pissed. But his eyes were looking at me hungrily; his tongue darted across his lower lip as his eyes moved from my legs to my face where our eyes met. I raised an eyebrow at him and then carried on with my notes feeling my stomach do flips from the way he was staring.

 **Thanks for reading, hope you like it. The next chapter is nearly written and its leading to a good one. Now I have to get back to science coursework, please leave a review!**


	6. Chapter 6

We were all sitting in my room 'upstairs', I was sitting with my back against the wall under my window with Adam next to me looking at my boxes of DVDs, Grant and Bex were on my bed her legs tangled with his, Macey was sitting on the desk chair with Nick at her feet and Zach was sitting with his back on the bottom of my bed across from me. "Before we argue over what to watch can we first address the elephant in the room?" Nick said and then Macey kicked him lightly in the rib.

"There is no elephant." I knew there was, so did everyone else. It was the big massive stain on Zach's shirt that he failed to change before getting here because he also had detention so he just had the shirt I had on all day thrown over it.

"Oh Macey there is, what did Zach do to you to want to use him as a trash can?" Nick was smirking at me and I felt Bex staring at me across the room as well as Zach's eyes lingering on me.

"It was nothing, it's over now just let's forget about it." My tone obviously showed I was serious because they quickly shut up. Adam probably knew why I did it and sensing my down in mood he wrapped his arm around me shoulders pulling me towards his shoulder. I felt Zach's gaze on me, but when I looked it was at Adam and they were staring each other out. I glanced up at Adam to see his eyes hard and giving Zach and warning look, just as I was about to tell him to pack it in my mum appeared at the door.

"I'm off babe; see you when I get back make sure these boys are gone by then." I just nodded, "Oh actually I'm glad you're all here how would you all like to come around on Saturday for a barbeque on the roof to celebrate Cammie's dad being released?" As soon as her words fell out of her mouth my whole body tensed up like a coil, Adam tightened his hold on me and rubbed my arm but I felt claustrophobic my lungs weren't working properly and I was struggling to breath, so I pulled him from him and moved along so I wasn't touching him at all.

Everyone in the room, apart from the three that knew, turned to look at me, "Why didn't you tell us he was coming back?" Grant asked, everyone knew I wasn't fond of my dad and was dreading this day but only one knew the real reason.

"Never found the right time."

"So I'll see you all on Saturday, starts at twelve. Right see you Cam, love you!" Then she was out of the apartment leaving turmoil of emotion boil away inside of me. I was getting wound tighter and tighter the image of my dad's face as he hit me filling my mind and the sound of him stumbling away laughing ringing in my ears.

No one said anything so I had to say something, "That will be fun. Adam pick a film and I'll go get the popcorn and some drinks." They knew this meant I didn't want to talk about it, so they didn't. They just watched me leave the room my voice was hoarse as I spoke and I couldn't be bothered to hide it. I left the room and closed the door behind me resting my head against it for a minute trying to calm down my heartbeat but it wasn't working.

I was ready to burst, but I couldn't run and I had nothing to punch. I ran down the stairs and started pacing my breaths coming out fast and my hands in tight fists, clenching my eyes shut to stop any tears coming out I let out a strangled sound that luckily wasn't that loud. Seeing a pile of towels that had just come from the dryer folded up on the counter I began smacking them to try and release some tension but it just made me angry from how unsatisfying it was. I then felt someone's hands on my shoulders pulling me back from the counter and my whole body relaxed against their body as the familiar smell of musky cologne reached my nostrils even over the food over his shirt.

Zach.

I felt his lips against my ear, "Cammie you have to stop." His voice was so soft and tender it snapped the coil inside my chest and I then released a soft sob. Within seconds Zach had twisted me so I was facing him and he pulled me towards wrapping his arms around my waist as I nuzzled my face further into his neck as I cried. He rubbed my back softly, "You're alright I've got you, you're safe."

As he spoke I clutched onto his shirt tighter, it now balls in my fists, he held onto my tighter. It was almost painful but it wasn't a bad pain. I didn't feel claustrophobic in that moment, I felt safe like he said. I saw under his shirt he had buttoned up the stain on his top and guilt pooled inside of me, "Sorry about your shirt." I felt him chuckle, his chest rising slightly against my body flush against his.

"I never really liked that top." I smiled and held onto him tighter, "I kind of deserved it, and I only said what I said because of Adam." I looked up at him giving him a confused look, "He said that you didn't need me in your life and that I messed you up on Saturday and that I was the reason you got so drunk. He managed to convince me that the only way I could make you forget about the kiss and everything was to be a dick and freeze you out. He had a pretty convincing argument until I saw your face and I wanted to kick myself for doing it."

I pulled away slightly and rested my arms on his shoulders my fingers playing with the short hair on the back of his head, it felt ridiculously normal to do this, and his arms were still around my waist. "I have no idea why Adam would say that, but I do know this. I can't forget about Saturday, not in a million years, you make me feel secure like no one could touch me when I'm next to you. You anchor me in place, nothing else matters for a moment and I like that. I'm not saying anything else had to happen between us but I don't want to go back to how it was before, I need you."

Zach's arms became tighter around my waist until my hips were up against his, I was about to protest but he shook his head telling me no, my fingers went deeper into his hair as he pulled me closer and his eyes rolled shut as they grazed his scalp. I smiled at the effect, _it wasn't just me_. He opened his eyes again and they were nearly black, I began moving my face closer to his and he leaned down his lips dusting mine when there was a shout came from upstairs.

"Where the hell is this popcorn at? We've picked the film!"

We pulled away slightly and I felt a whimper come out of my mouth, Zach smirked slightly and then leaned down pressing his lips against mine grabbing my hips so I was against his. He pulled away and rested his forehead on mine, "After these muppets go can I show you something?" His voice was rough and husky and I felt my knees go to jelly at it. I raised an eyebrow at the suggestiveness of his comment, "Not like that, on my bike I want to take you somewhere. I want to show you where I go to calm down because hurting yourself from hitting some towels and running isn't always going to be the answer." I smiled at him and lightly kissed him in response.

"I'd love to." Then we quickly grabbed the popcorn and some soda and went upstairs.

I sat down next to Zach this time instead of Adam, I was mad at him to say the least, "Hey Cam I'm getting cold over here." Adam moaned from where I was sitting before.

I chucked him a can and a bag of popcorn, "I can't see the screen well from that angle." Then I sat back down bringing my legs to my chest, Zach and I seemed to be making a conscious effort not to touch each other. There was still some electricity between us from downstairs. The tension from earlier in the room had died down, they were my best friends for a reason, I would talk to them when I was ready and in the time being it wasn't mentioned. I liked it like that.

As the film was about thirty minutes in I began getting uncomfortable in my tight position so I began squirming to find a comfortable one, Zach noticed and grabbed me a pillow to sit on but I was still squirming. Everyone was pretty engrossed in the film and we were low on the floor and pretty unnoticeable from them even if they weren't, so I shuffled until I was against him and rested my head on his chest and he carefully wrapped his around my waist pulling me flush against his side so my legs were practically across his.

He moved his mouth to my ear, "Are you trying to make me want to kiss you?" His voice was low and husky like it was downstairs and I felt a familiar warmth in my belly from it, smirking at him I just rested my head back on him and drew random patterns on his chest as I watched the film.

It was twelve now and no one seemed to be going anytime soon, Grant and Nick had ordered pizza and I wanted to go out with Zach and I had to do that soon because my mum would be back too. "Right I'm shattered, can we call it a night?" I asked as I stretched my arms over my head hearing my shoulder pop and yawned for dramatic effect.

"Come on this is early for you; you're normally awake till four another hour won't hurt." I could rip Macey's head off her shoulders.

"Yeah I know but I have been getting about two hours sleep tops for over a month and its starting to catch up I guess, even us insomniacs must sleep at one point."

"Fine, Nick will you pick me up tomorrow and bring some clothes with you?" I shot a wide eyed glance at Macey, "What you also want Bex and me to go too? You normally stay at mine." I felt bad I really did, Monday night was girls night sleepover. But I had Zach's hand under my top on my bare back making me not really care about anything else in that moment.

"Yeah but I usually can't get home because I don't have a car, but Nick does and so does Grant. I know I'm being a bitch but my mum is going to want to lecture me when she gets in and I'd rather you guys not hear it. Please?" I was right about that, so I wasn't being a complete liar.

Everyone started packing up and heading downstairs, I felt Zach's breath on my neck, "I'll be back in five." I nodded and then waved the group out of the house saying sorry and bye to the girls but I think they were pretty happy to be being able to spend a night with their boyfriends and have me as the excuse.

As soon as everyone left I ran upstairs and quickly brushed my teeth and ran a brush through my messy hair pulling it from the messy bun I threw it into when I left school. I grabbed a flannel from my wardrobe and put it on instantly realising it was nothing like Zach, nowhere near as soft. Quickly spritzing myself with some perfume I ran my fingers under my eyes where make eyeliner had smudged and then I heard a knock on the door. I grabbed my phone and converse and then ran downstairs.

I put my shoes on before opening the door so I could try and catch my breath and calm my nerves then I went and opened it, Zach was standing with two motor bike helmets in his hands. "Hey." I smiled at him my voice sounding a little breathless.

"Hey," he leaned down and kissed my cheek lightly sending waves of energy through me. "I thought they would never leave, now here's a helmet _I'm_ about to take you for the ride of your life." I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment but I was still laughing, I took one of the helmets and then shut the door behind me and grabbed his free hand with mine and pulled him towards the lift.

Once we were outside he helped me put my helmet on and checked I was safe and then got on the bike himself and helped me get on it too. I wasn't sure where to put my hands but then Zach found them and snaked them tightly around his waist, I felt the muscles of his back tense as my chest pressed against them. "Hold on tight." Then without further warning we were off and hold on tight I did.

 **Some Zammie for you, the next chapter should be up tomorrow as it is nearly written just need to do a few finishing touches to it. Please leave a review and hope you like it :)**


	7. Chapter 7

I've always wanted to ride a motorbike, my mum's brother had one and I used to beg to use it every time he visited. But I was never old enough and after having kids he decided to sell it, I tried to persuade my mum into letting me buy it off him promising to save up myself and he said he'd teach me but she was dead set against them. They were a death trap, as she liked to say. However in that moment I had never felt more alive.

I gripped onto Zach's waist screaming with joy as the wind blew my hair and flannel out behind me, the wind was harsh on my bare legs but I didn't mind. The cool air seemed to make it all the more fun, I could feel my heart hammering against my chest and Zach's back and I heard him laughing along with my screams.

We eventually reached the coast, Zach stopped the engine and pulled his helmet off and then helped me with mine after getting off. I was still sitting on the bike the excitement had made my legs go wobbly, with a massive grin on my face I looked up at Zach. "That was insane; does the novelty ever wear off?"

He was looking at me with so much happiness in his eyes my grin naturally widened, "There isn't much novelty in driving to school or just around the town, but driving along the coast that's something else. That's a feeling that's addictive, if I want to go to my escape it has to be on my bike otherwise there's no real point." With one of my hands in his and his other on my waist he helped me off the black bike.

I smoothed out my helmet hair and felt my cheeks warm up as Zach stared down at me; there wasn't a hunger like usual but something else. "So what's the next part?" He gripped my hand and we walked along the coast until we got to a cliffs edge. We didn't talk much; there was nothing to say really.

Zach sat down his legs outstretched in front of him and I sat next to him my legs crossed, "This is it. I like just sitting hearing the waves lap up against the rocks beneath and watching the sun either set or rise. Or just watching the sea, it terrifies me but it also reminds me that there is so much more out there. The earth isn't square like they used to say, its round so after all that water there is something else."

As he spoke I was transfixed, he had passion in his voice. The sun was long gone but the moon made his face look dark, he looked almost dangerous, but in my opinion he looked more handsome than anything else. I got hold of his hands and played with the fingers, they were long and rough and the knuckles had some scars on, "What are you trying to escape from?" He never explicitly said he was trying to escape from something in particular; some people just like a release, but it seemed to be a bit more than that.

He moved his face to meet my gaze, "My life. Some parts of it aren't as black and white as they seem, nothing ever is." I didn't want to ask him to elaborate because I knew he didn't want to. He never asked me to tell him about my dad, I just did. So when he wants to tell me about his life he can. Without tearing his gaze from mine he moved his free hand to cup my face, his thumb running over my cheek bone. "You're the one thing in my life that I don't want to escape."

His voice was so quiet and with the wind from the sea it could have easily blown away, but his face was less than an inch from mine it would be impossible for me not to hear. My lips quickly met his, it was soft and tender. There was no rush in it, his hand still cupping my face and holding my hand, but then I moved my hand to his waist and clutched his top my fingers digging across his back. He moaned my name against my mouth as I flipped over him so I was straddling him.

His hands were skirting all over my back under my top in a frenzy, brushing over the flesh and my bra strap. Without much thought in my actions I was unbuttoning his flannel shirt, not liking the fact there was two layers of clothes over him and I couldn't successfully touch his skin. Zach grabbed my flannel shirt and yanked it from my shoulders the break in our lips giving me time it catch my breath, but it wasn't long enough because his mouth was back on mine.

He pulled me against him tighter, my chest firm against his as he dug his fingers into my hair and I eventually got his flannel shirt off. I tugged at his top and breathlessly demanded, "Off." He didn't need to be told twice not even a second had gone by before it was on the grass. The fact there was only one layer of clothing between us made me gasp and tilt my head back when he pressed himself against me, his lips leaving wet hot kisses against my now exposed neck.

My hands travelled all over his exposed skin and I clawed at his back to try and get closer to him, needing to feel more flesh I pulled my own shirt over my head and when my front touched his he released a moan and flipped me over so I was lying on the grass. His knees where on either side of my legs, his chest was touching mine and his face hovering above mine. It was dark but with the closeness of his face I could see nearly every detail, his eyes were dark with hunger and his lips slightly swollen.

There was a slight shine on his forehead, his curls fell forward slightly as he looked down at me his hands holding onto my shoulders but his elbows on the ground meaning he was putting no real pressure on them. Breathlessly I smiled up at him pushing his hair back and my hands cupping his face my thumb running over his lips, I wanted to stare at him forever. He was so pure and the only thing in my life I hadn't yet ruined.

"You're making me lose my mind Cammie." His voice was still breathless; I looked up from his lips, my thumb was still on them, to his eyes to see they were closed. He looked like he was drinking in my touch.

My lips curled into a smile as his eyes reopened, "The funny thing is you're making it all stop spinning." I don't know if he understood what I meant, but I didn't have much longer to analyse his face before his lips found mine again.

It was now one in the morning and Zach and I were now clothed again and sitting in a 24 hour diner in town, I was staring at the coffee in my hands while Zach stirred his hot chocolate. "I can't believe you got a coffee in the middle of the night, you'll be on a caffeine high all night."

I glanced up at him a smile still on my lips, "It won't be caffeine keeping me awake tonight." He smirked slightly at me before sipping his drink, "Anyway it doesn't matter what I do I struggle to get to sleep, whether I have a hot cocoa and read a book or drink a gallon of coffee."

"When was the last time you got a full night's sleep?" I could see the concern in his eyes; his eyebrows furrowed together forming a crease that made him look so adorable.

"Probably when I was about twelve, I have never been that good at sleeping there's only one thing that I know works- well two."

"What?"

"Talking to someone, doesn't have to be about anything important but just talking. My dad used to but then he started getting really tired so I'd pretend to be asleep. This was before, well you know. And the second is vodka." Zach's sad smile turned into a wide one, but I could see the cogs turning in his head.

"Does music not work?" I shook my head and took a sip from my drink. "How about this, only if you're comfortable with it. Why don't I stay at yours tonight and talk to you till you sleep and then when you do I'll leave."

I felt my chest ache at his gesture but I couldn't ask him to do that, "I can't make you do that, I don't want you driving home at three in the morning you'll fall asleep." We fell back into silence and I asked the question I knew he was too much of a gentleman to ask, "You could just stay at mine, only if you want." I quickly put at the end seeing the shock on his face.

"If it will help you I'll do it."

After that we finished our drinks and Zach was telling me about the comments he was getting for his shirt, I felt guilty at first but Zach said he forgave me and deserved it. To be honest it was funnier now than anything else.

When we got back to my apartment my mum was asleep in her room, she looked like she might have gone a bit heavy on the drinks and I couldn't blame her. No matter how excited she looked for my dad's return she was nervous too, but she was just nervous of simple things and the change it would bring. I was playing in a whole different ball park.

Slipping our shoes off we went to my room Zach slipping his hand in mine, it was only for a second before we got to my room but I liked the small buzz it filled my fingers with. "What do you usually sleep in?" I asked as I chucked my shirt on the chair next to my desk and went into the bathroom to take my makeup off and brush my hair.

I looked back into the room to see him looking nervous, "Erm, my boxers?" It came out as a question and I laughed at the pink tinge of his cheeks.

"Just sleep in your boxers and get over yourself." After I brushed my teeth and put my hair into a pony tail I left the bathroom so Zach could wash up and I put on a vest top and some shorts before getting into bed.

Zach reappeared in just his boxers and I felt my breathe hitch in my throat, they rested low on his hips and I couldn't help but stare at his toned body. Not only was it very attractive but it was also very impressive, a lot of effort will have gone into getting a body like that. His shoulders were wide and the muscles in them showed when he moved his arms, his core was toned showing off abs that my hormonal body couldn't tear their eyes off.

My eyes looked back up at him to see he was watching me shamelessly check him out, before he could make a comment I just told him to shut up and get to bed. He slipped in the covered next to me, I was lying on my side facing him as he lay quite stiffly in my bed. "If this is weird for you, you can leave I won't be offended." I didn't mean to sound as vulnerable as I did but my mind was a bit hazy from all the tanned muscles.

His body relaxed quickly after that and he moved closer to me and snaked his arm under me so it was wrapped around my waist, my head was using his arm as a pillow. "I'm not leaving you." Once again my breath hitched in my throat and I rested my hand on his chest. After a bit of an awkward silence we began talking, we spoke about books and our favourites. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of books he had read. As he spoke I could hear his heart beating from where my head had moved along as I curled up more next to him, he rubbed his thumb on the exposed skin at my hip and I aimlessly drew patterns on his chest with my fingers.

Soon I dozed off.

I woke up the next morning to my alarm; I had a warm feeling in my chest from the position Zach and I were in. My legs were tangled with his and his hand was gripping tightly at my hip as if he never wanted to let go. I sat up and hit my phone off as Zach stirred; I ran my hands over my hair to smooth it out and then turned to Zach. He was still laying down his hair a mess and he was smiling at me sleepily, I had pulled the blanket down from sitting up so I found myself staring at his torso again.

"Staring are we?" I looked up at him smirking at me and felt my cheeks heat up, but before I could give him a sarcastic comment he sat up and grabbed my hips pulling me on top of him as I let out a shriek with laughter in the process. He stared at me for a moment before kissing me softly, "Morning." His voice was rough with sleep and I felt my insides melt at it.

I smiled at him as I lay on him his hands pushing me against him from my back, "Morning," I pressed my lips back on his and he pulled me closer to him and I felt the heat of his bare chest through my vest, "But you do snore a bit so we'll have to get that under control for next time you stay." I knew what I had said the minute it left my mouth, I implied I wanted this to happen more often. And I did I just wasn't sure if Zach did and also how public I wanted our new found intimacy to be. But instead of questioning it he just rolled his head back laughing.

I got up to get showered and Zach went down to make some food and coffee, my mum wouldn't be up until later on because she had the night shift (she was a nurse) so she wouldn't catch him. Once we had both showered I had put on some jean shorts and a black top and Zach sat in just his jeans from yesterday while we ate breakfast in my room. "Do you want a top?" I asked.

Zach looked at me mid-bite, "I don't think your tops will fit me."

I glared at him and then got up from my bed and headed to my wardrobe, "I have a few guys' shirts, and they should fit you." I chucked him a grey one and he caught it with a raised eye brow, "I sleep in them." I clarified finding the jealousy in his eyes kind of attractive.

He slipped it on and it fit him well, he smoothed out his hair and then smirked at me, "It smells of you." I blushed and then busied myself with my school bag before we headed out to his bike.

We pulled up at school and Zach got his bag from the storage bit of his bike while I took off my helmet, I felt people's suspicious gaze on us and suddenly panicked. "Zach?" He turned around with concern etching his features, "What are we?" He gave me a confused look, "Like after last night what are we?"

He looked around and saw the looks and I think he figured it out, nothing had happened apart from sensational kissing but high school had the ability to turn a hug into a gangbang. "Well I think we should just go with it, both of us don't really know what this is yet so let's just keep last night between us. We won't forget about it but there is no need to tell anyone about it yet, unless you want to?" I didn't and it filled me with a comfort knowing he didn't yet either.

"I like that idea. We'll just go with the flow, but maybe we shouldn't get too intimate at school." I smiled at him as he laughed and then grabbed his bag and we walked into school.

When we reached the bleachers everyone was already there, today was one of the days we didn't have any training in the morning, "Well doesn't this look interesting?" Nick sat with his elbows resting on my knees and his chin on his knuckles smirking at Zach and I. "Rumour has it Cam got a lift into school on Zach's bike," I gave him a confused look at how he managed to know that, "Dean text me saying: _Zach just rode into school with that blonde bombshell Cammie, how much you betting they fucked?_ So tell me what are the odds that you did?"

I glared at him hitting him on the back of the head as I sat down pulling out a textbook to make some notes for maths when Zach sat next to him replying, "I'm going to say very low."

"So why did you two come in together?"

I gave Zach a panicked glance but he was already answering before I even had the chance to form one thought, "Get you mind out of the gutter I passed her on the way and thought it would be the decent thing to give her a lift." The topic was quickly dropped and everyone carried on with their own conversations.

 **Hope you liked the Zammie, sorry there wasn't much drama but I wanted a cute chapter in at least one even if it wasn't very good. I think the next chapter will have some drama in, either that chapter or the next will be the return of her dad.**

 **Thank you so much for all the positive feedback so far, it means so much. Hope you're all having a good day.**


	8. Chapter 8

"Do you think he'll still like potato salad?" My mum and I were currently at the supermarket, it was Thursday night and since my mum was working the night shift tomorrow night and she would be getting the roof ready and herself all pampered for my dad during the day this was the last time to do the shopping for his welcome home party.

"Probably" I muttered in response as I went into a daydream. I didn't get why he was getting thrown a welcome home party. It wasn't like he was away for a good reason; he was away because he split someone's head open with a beer bottle and then proceeded to break two of the guy's ribs.

My mum sighed and chucked the potato salad in the trolley, I get why she is nervous. She still loves the guy and has stood by his side through everything- something I admire her for- but it still sickens me. I would never tell her about what he did to me, _never_ , because she would blame herself and I wouldn't let that happen. None of this is hers fault, or mine, it is all his. If he is over his anger issues maybe I can forgive him for what he did- but as long as my mother never finds out about it I will be happy.

Eventually my mum finished her barbeque shopping and we were back home with it all away and she was getting her nurse uniform on. "While I'm gone can you give the place a quick clean?" She asked as she slipped her brown curls into a pony tail, I nodded as I ate some grapes. "Right I'm off, there's some pasta from last night if you want that or you can stick one of those pizza's from the freezer in. I won't be back till about four tonight if I want to get next week off, see you later sweetheart." Then she kissed my forehead and left the apartment.

I quickly fell into silence then, and there is nothing more deadly than being left alone with your thoughts. Zach had been coming over every night at about half eight and we would have some dinner and then watch some television and he would talk me to sleep. I don't think I've ever felt this alert in a long time, although I'm still emotionally tired, physically I'm doing great.

We haven't put any labels on our relationship yet, we haven't really got one to label, and we've shared a few more kisses but nothing as passionate as at the coast. There have just been his lips against my forehead before I drift off to unconscious and me pecking his cheek when he does something for me, friendly gestures. The gang have also picked up on our new closeness, the way his arm lingers on my shoulder, or how we stare at each other for longer than necessary.

I don't know what it is, but I do know I want him in my life a lot more.

There was two more hours until Zach finished work and got here so I decided to let off some of the steam the shopping for my father brought by changing into a sports bra and some shorts and getting my boxing gloves and going to the garage to my boxing bag.

After an hour of hitting it until the muscles in my arms screamed in pain and I couldn't see from the sweat in my eyes I decided to go back inside, when I got out of the lift I was shocked to see Zach leaning against the front door on his phone looking very distressed. Panic filled me so I sprinted down to him, the sound of my footsteps made him notice me and his face instantly calmed. "What's wrong?"

I stood in front of him as he looked about ready to explode, "Why don't you answer you phone Cam? I've been here for an hour nearly breaking your door, I looked everywhere for you and you weren't picking up and I started thinking something bad had happened."

I smiled softly at him hearing the genuine concern in his voice as his rambled on, "I'm fine, I guess I lost track of time. I was just in the garage boxing. You should join me some time." Ignoring my invitation he just wrapped his arms around my waist pressed my, very sweaty, body against his. I laughed as my feet lifted off the ground, "You worry too much I'm fine. Now come on I'm starving, do you want some food or have you already eaten?"

With his face still in the crook of my neck he spoke, "Sorry but I was scared. And no I haven't eaten." With that he pulled himself from me and we stepped inside the apartment.

Zach slipped his shoes off and then followed me up to my room, he sat down at the office chair like he usually did and I noticed his eyes lingering on my exposed skin. My shorts were pretty short so you could see the majority of my legs, my stomach was out from only having a sports bra on and you could see the top of my breasts. I'm not particularly ashamed of my body, I know I'm in shape and have the start of abs forming from working out a lot. But that doesn't mean I'm not self-conscious.

However in that moment with his green eyes looking at my skin with so must lust in his eyes it would be hard to feel embarrassed, his tongue darted across his lips as I watched him in my peripheral vision as I grabbed a towel and some clothes to change into. "I'm going to shower, you can do whatever. You know where the TV remote is and I trust you enough now to touch my records so knock yourself out." I knew it took him a second to listen to what I was saying and I felt my cheeks heat up and Zach's flushed when he realised I saw him obviously checking me out.

After showering away all the sweat and washing my hair I dried myself off and began slipping my clothes on. However as I pick up my bra I grabbed I realised I hadn't picked up a top. Muttering to myself I slipped on my bra and underwear and I wrapped the towel around my chest and secured it then taking a deep breath I opened the door hoping to grab the stuff and go back and get dressed. However Zach looked up when the door opened and his eyes nearly fell out of his head.

"I forgot my top." I stated simply as I ran to the drawer with them in and grabbed a comfy bra and some knickers before I turned back around to go and get changed. However I was met by Zach standing a few inches behind me. "What are you doing?" My voice was slightly breathless from the shock he gave me and also his scent was filling my nostrils and going straight to my head.

Using his fingers he carefully pushed a strand of my wet hair away from my face, I looked up at him meeting his eyes as his fingers moved from behind my ear to the nape of my neck. He moves his face down so it's level with mine and brushes his lips against my cheek, his breath warm against mine and I have to try too hard to stop a shiver rolling up my spine. Involuntary I step closer to him, dropping what I came to get, and place my hands on his hips.

Tension is building between us, this is the calmest we've ever been when we're this close, it's normally fast paced and frantic. Soon my towel clad chest is pressed against his, his fingers digging deep into my hair tilting my head up so I can face him. Our eyes meet for a moment and that was all it took for me to push his hips against mine and put my arms around his neck as my lips found his. One of his hands gripped my waist tightly and the other still in my wet hair, his kisses were hard yet slow, if that was even possible. Slowly he moved his lips along my jaw and to the point where my ear meets my neck.

I had to grip onto his shoulders as he slowly wrapped his puckered lips around my ear lobe, "Zach." He carried on kissing my neck making bolts of energy fill me, "Zach, please." My voice was hoarse as Zach pulled away from my neck so he could look at me, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Cupping my face in his hands he looked me dead in the eye, "I want you, this." That was good enough for me as I pressed my lips against his again, but this time it wasn't slow. It was fast and filled with ecstasy and hunger. I pulled his top over his head and threw it across the room, Zach moved his hands from my back to my bum then lifting my legs up so they wrapped around his waist. His fingers gripped my thighs and I let out of gasp from my skin to skin contact and tightened my thighs around him.

Quickly he moved me over to my bed and lay be down and I pulled the towel off me so I was only in my under wear, Zach pulled back and looked at me. His hands moving from my legs to across my stomach and then to my back, he leaned down and kissed my lips softly and he whispered "Beautiful" against them. I began to fiddle with his jean button and then he unbuttoned them and just as he was about to take them off I placed my hands on his shoulder and pushed him away slightly.

"Are you sure?" I asked, his green eyes were dark with desire and his chest moved up and down from breathing heavy.

He nodded, "I want my first time to be with you." Then my heart dropped. I pushed him off me and sat up on my bed, he gave me a confused look, "What is it?"

"You're a virgin?" I wasn't disgusted in that fact, I wish I was still one. Zach just nodded and I saw the embarrassment in his eyes, "No, no don't get annoyed or embarrassed I just thought you weren't. We can't do this though; I don't want to be the one to take your virginity. Not now at least."

"I want it to be you."

"I know, but I can't do it. Don't be mad it's just my dad is coming back on Saturday and I don't think I'll be able to keep it together. You don't deserve such a fuck up; you don't know what I used to be like. I used to sleep around and drink like I wanted to die. I guess because for a bit I did. But that's not the point; the point is you deserve someone way better." I felt my chest ache as Zach stared at me with a mixture of anger and hurt.

"Would you have said all that if I wasn't a virgin?"

"I don't know."

"Cammie you aren't a fuck up, I don't care if you've had sex with lots of people. That doesn't bother me, I want this. I want you." His voice was so desperate and then I realised what I had done. I had let him think there was something here, I had let myself think there was something here, but there couldn't be. Not with my dad coming home, I know I'm going to lose it. It's already happening, I wound tighter than I've ever been before, and I am jumping at someone closing a door or a phone ringing.

So I did what I do best, push people I love away. "You need to leave." Then before he could object I handed him his shirt from the floor and went into the bathroom to get dressed.

When I heard the front door close I slipped my back down the door and sobbed. I sobbed because I pushed Zach away, sobbed because I let him in and sobbed because now I'd never know if he could love me like I love him.

Because I do, I love Zach.

I woke up the next morning on the bathroom floor my eyes and throat sore from crying. I picked up my phone to see that I was an hour later than usual as well as having over twenty missed calls and messages from Zach. I don't know what happened, looking back I shouldn't have freaked out, but I did. My mood turned and I panicked and used his virginity as an excuse instead of telling him how I knew I really felt.

So I quickly washed my face and brushed my now dry hair and put it into a lose pony tail, I slipped on some skinny jeans and just kept the plain top I put on last night and then grabbed my shoes and bag and left.

Once I got to school it was halfway through second lesson, I quickly got my mark and detention slip for being late and then headed to English. A lesson Zach would be in. I knocked on the door and then the teacher called me in, "You're late Morgan." I didn't meet his eye, "What no excuse? You're normally quite good at blagging a story."

"No Sir." I mumbled hating him for how he was trying to humiliate me, sensing that was the end of our conversation I found my seat at the back of the room and pulled out my book. I glanced over at Zach to see he was looking anywhere but me. His eyes were dark and his hair looked like he had run his fingers through it countless times. I stared at him for a while hoping he'd turn my way but knowing he wouldn't I sighed and did the work I missed that was on the board.

When I bell rung I grabbed my bag and ran out of the room racing after Zach as he stormed out of the room and down the corridor. I knew he had a free now, I didn't but I had already missed one and half lessons today so another wouldn't matter. I grabbed his arm, "Zach please let me explain."

He turned around and yanked his arm from my hand, "Cammie you humiliated me, and I can make my own choices. You don't have to look out for me; I am fully capable of knowing when I'm ready. That isn't even the worse part; the worst part is you think you're not worth anyone's attention when you are."

I met his eyes, "I'm sorry, please forgive me." I was begging.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "I don't know what you want me to say. I can't go back to how it was because I _want you_." I knew what he meant, I felt the same way. This close proximity we were in now was making me lose focus on the matter in hand.

"Zach-" He cut me off, "No Cam no more excuses, find me when you know what you want to do." Then he walked away towards the exit of the school and I stood in the now empty corridor trying to regulate my breathing.

I walked into the lunch room and found everyone was already there, I sat down between Nick and Grant and Zach sat neck to Nick. "Shit Cammie you look like… shit." Trust Macey to be painfully blunt.

"Wow thanks." I replied sarcastically as I took a sip from my juice. I didn't buy any lunch since I wasn't hungry and the idea made me want to throw up. I know I have to eat something soon but I can't stomach anything at the moment with Zach and my dad filling my headspace.

"No seriously are you okay?" Her voice turned from shock to concern in an instant and that's why she was one of my best friends.

I looked up at her and I could feel Zach's eyes on me, "Yeah I'm fine, just going to be weird tomorrow when my dad gets home." I explained.

Grant wrapped his arm around my shoulders squeezing me, "We get that, if you need to talk you know who to come to. Also what time do you want us round tomorrow, we can help set up if you want?"

"Thanks. My mum is sorting the food out tonight but you could come at 12 and help bring stuff to the roof I guess, the other guests aren't coming until half past so therefore you get first dibs on the food."

"Works for me." Then with that the conversation was dropped and we began talking about the track competition Bex and I have in few weeks. I was entered in for the 100 metre, 200 metre hurdles and then the relay. It was for state champions, we all got points for each race and whichever school gets the highest gets becomes the best in the state.

I hadn't spoken to Zach since the hallway incident, he'd made a particular effort to ignore me and I've watched him decline my calls twice. I understand why he's doing it; I offended him and made him feel unwanted just because he was a virgin. The irony is it's usually the guy who does that to the girl.

The worst thing is that I would never set out to hurt him; I thought pushing him away would stop me hurting him. The truth is I might not have stopped if he wasn't a virgin, but I would have regretted it afterwards. I do this; I push people away when I shut off. I did it to my mum when my dad started hitting me and even more so when he was arrested, I shut all of the gang off when my dad went to jail and started going off the rails until Bex and Macey helped me.

I haven't tried to sugar coat it, I am a fuck up. I get it from the man I despise more than anything else in the world, everything I touch gets ruined, everyone I love I push away because I don't want them to get ruined.

My mum was at work for the last shift before her week off and I was in the kitchen getting a drink when there was a knock at the door, grabbing my drink I walked over and opened it.

My mouth fell open and my hands became lose making the glass smash at my feet, "No welcome home hug for you dad?"

 **Right firstly sorry for such a delayed chapter update, I didn't know how to get to this point and I realise it's a crappy chapter. I wanted to have it different in this story where the guy is the virgin and not the girl, because that isn't always the case. I don't know if I got Cammie's emotions across very well, so for that I apologise.**

 **Please leave a review and I'll try and get an update up in the next few days but they may be a bit delayed due to a heavy work load at the moment.**


	9. Chapter 9

He was there. A small duffel bag hung from his hand as he had it thrown lazily over his shoulder, his face seemed skinner and drawn in as his cheeks clung to his bones and had a relatively thick beard on. His eyes, which were too much like mine, stared at me with a glazed over look. _He had been drinking._ His lips formed a sloppy grin as he saw me.

My heart was pounding against my chest and I struggled to find any air to breath, my mouth fell open to speak but no words came out. His grin didn't falter at my silence, "I got the dates messed up, sorry its late but I went for a celebratory drink. Now come and welcome your dad home."

He opened his arms and stepped over the threshold and without even thinking I stepped two big strides back, " _Welcome you home?_ " I sneered at him, "You haven't been away for a trip you've been in jail for beating a man to near death, you're only here because mum risked everything for you to have the best lawyer."

His eyes narrowed slightly at me and he dropped his bag at the coat rack and shut the door behind him, "And I am forever grateful, but I'm back and I'm going to make it right. Everything."

I wanted to believe him, god did I want to, but I couldn't, "Mum isn't here, she is at work so you should go. I don't to be alone with you." My voice didn't falter as I spoke and I feel proud of myself for that, I've spent too much time crying over this man. He stumbled a bit as he tried to get closer so he gripped onto the table where we keep keys and mail, "Look at you! You're already drunk, you've been out for not even a day and you're already back to your old drunken ways."

"I understand that you're angry, I get that, but I promise I've changed. I won't hurt you like I used to, I love you Cammie."

I felt sick as he spoke, his voice the soft slur it always was before he flipped without warning. "If you love me you'll respect my decision, I can't be alone with you. I thought you would have gathered that with my non-existent visits."

His eyes darted up, "Rachel," my mother, "Said they wouldn't let you in because you're not eighteen yet."

I snorted at the crap my mum had fed him, "That's bullshit Matthew; I didn't want to see you. Because I saw you enough in my nightmares hunched over me beating the shit out of me, because that's what you are to me. A guy who gets pissed and then beats me." Before I even had a chance to feel smug at my composure his forearm was against my throat and my back slammed into the wall.

"Take that back!" He was screaming at me; spit flying from his mouth to my face. "I'm your father and you'll respect me, I only ever gave you what little bitches like you deserve."

His arm was pressing down on my throat and I _really_ couldn't breathe, I was clawing at his arm but it was moving and then remembering what I had spent the year doing I swung my arm back and with a clenched fist punched his stomach making his lift his arm. I stumbled a bit and felt dizzy but I quickly composed myself and grabbed my shoes ran out of the house.

I slammed the door behind me and not bothering waiting for the lift I took the stairs and ran out of the apartment building. Quickly slipping my converse on I began to sprint down the street, but this time I wasn't running to stop the shouting or running until I couldn't anymore. I was running to something, or someone. I needed to see Zach because he was the only person who could help me; although I don't deserve him I need him.

I was trying to avoid this, although pushing him away hurt him it means he is no longer deeply invested in the fuck up that is my life. Which is what I wanted, but in this moment I need him to anchor me. To calm me down and make me feel less insane, make me feel loved and special.

Once I get to his house I began pounding against his door. Eventually Zach opened up looking pissed at whoever woke him up but he didn't have much time to complain before I gripped his face in my hands and pressed my lips on his.

God I loved him.

It took him a minute to respond but soon his lips softly moved against mine and his hands gripped my hips pulling me against him. "I'm sorry." I mumbled against his lips and he just kissed me harder, I moved my hands to his neck and dug my fingers into the curls of his hair. His fingers brushed over my neck and I flinched at the pressure on the sore skin, pulling his lips from mine Zach looked down and I heard the intake of breath and felt the tightened hold on my arms.

"What happened?" His teeth were grinding together I was surprised he could actually get any words out, I looked up at him and his nostrils were flared and his eyes dark with anger.

Moving my fingers from his hair to his face I traced my thumb across his jaw in an attempt to relax him slightly, he seemed to a bit but I could still hear teeth on teeth, "My dad got the dates wrong, he got out three hours ago and hadn't stopped drinking since." A deep growl spilled out from Zach's throat and his eyes were glued to the space behind me and I knew he was planning his route back to my place. I placed my hands on either side of his face, "Look at me," I spoke sternly my voice not as thick with tears anymore but his eyes didn't move, "Zach please look at me."

His eyes met mine, they softened straight away. I guess I must look pretty vulnerable with teary eyes and a messed up neck. "He hurt you, no one hurts you." His voice was so soft the fear and anger for my dad drifted for a bit and I was just in that moment of his words caressing me and his soft kind eyes staring into mine.

"He did hurt me, but you can't go over there. I don't care what he does, but I do care about what you do. Because even though I have a really shit way of showing it its true, I can't lose you Zach because I need you." My voice was slowly getting rougher and quieter as I spoke from the lump forming in my throat as my eyes refilled with salty tears. "I am so sorry."

Zach was just staring at me and he ran his thumbs under my eyes catching the tears just before they fell, "Let's get you inside and put some ice on your neck, then we'll talk."

I was back on the counter in Zach's kitchen as he placed a handful of ice wrapped up in a clean tea towel on my neck, "This should stop the bruising." Zach mumbled as he pushed my hair away from it and then placed my hand on it and he stepped away. "What happened?"

I tried to avoid eye contact but he just repeated the question in a more firm voice so I eventually looked up to look at him. I told him about my dad coming home and what was said and then how I was against the wall with his arm on my throat. The entire time Zach stood staring at my neck anger pouring off him, "I am begging you Zach, please don't do anything stupid."

He was silent for a while and I could see slowly the tension in him releasing, his fists were no longer clenched and his eyes were more of the green I know and love. "I don't get it Cam, last night you pushed me out of your bed like I was the plague and today you wouldn't even look at me. I want to help you, of course I do, but I'm getting a lot of mixed messages here."

I knew I had to explain myself for last night, I just didn't know how to without sounding pathetic and needy. "You don't know how much I regret what I did last night Zach. But you have to believe me when I say that I thought that what I was doing was for the best, I know it is your life and your virginity to lose but I didn't want to drag you into this mess. Which is stupid because I came running here the minute it went wrong."

"Maybe I don't mind a little mess." Zach stated.

I looked up at his eyes and saw he was angry, at what I don't know, "Right all cards on the table now. I am a fuck up, whether I like it or not, I fuck stuff up. After my dad went away I went on nuclear lock down, I pushed _everyone_ away including Bex who has been there for me through everything. I didn't think I deserved anyone, and I didn't want to mess up the lives of the people I cared about so I pushed all my friends away. I pushed my mum away to the point where we didn't talk for the first four months of my dad's sentence.

"I don't think I mean to do it but I just do. And then I found you and without realising it I found myself not only wanting you by my side but feeling like I needed it, when my mind started going I would just want you to be there to stop it. That scared the crap out of me, I never wanted to be in the position where I needed someone that much. Then last night you said it was your first time and I went into lock down because I released I was going to mess up your life especially with my dad coming back, if you didn't say you weren't a virgin we probably would have had sex last night. But I would have regretted it in the morning and all these feelings would be here still and would still be trying to push you away."

I don't know if my little speech made the situation better or worse, but I did know that my eyes were stinging from trying not to cry. I looked at Zach to see him looking at me with something I couldn't identify, with two big strides he was in front of me.

I stared at his chest not wanting to look at his face so he placed his fingers under my chin asking me to look up, I did, "Cam you are not going to mess up my life. Even if you did I wouldn't mind, you're not the only one who is scared of what they're feeling, because I am. I can't think straight around you, my mind goes haywire- in a good way. I'm not going to tell you I'm not hurt from last night because that would be a lie but I will tell you this: you can push me away as much as you want but I will always be right next to you."

"But what if I ruin-"

"No you won't." Zach cut me off before I could finish my question. "I understand where you're coming from but I care about you a hell of a lot to just drop this, whatever _this_ is, after one argument." I didn't really have a chance to think of a response or how Zach's words made me feel before his lips were softly pressed on mine.

With both of his hands on my hips he pushed them against his and his lips harder against mine, dropping the ice to the counter I snaked my arms around his neck and dug my fingers into his hair smiling as a soft moan left his lips. I pulled away and pressed my forehead against his with a grin on my face, "Can I stay here tonight? Not to do anything, just I don't want to go back." Zach nodded and then took my hand in one of his and then grabbed the ice. He pressed his lips against my forehead and he then guided me upstairs.

When we entered his room it was pretty cool, he had a double bed pressed up against the wall under a large window and on the wall around the window there was old vinyl covers stuck on it. His desk had a laptop on and some school books and assignments, and there was a few photos framed of the gang and one that looked like it was him and the rest of the football team. Although they weren't all his photos he had a wall littered with them, polaroid's of sunsets and old film pictures of parties that made them look less gross and more memorable.

I walked over to them and then one caught my eye, it was of me and it was about five months ago at a beach party. The sun was almost gone and it had been the best day ever, the sky was a soft pink colour and the air was the perfect temperature and even when we left the beach you could still smell the salt clinging to our clothes and hair. Back to the photo, I was sitting laughing at something my head tilted back slightly and my smile nearly cracking my face.

"That's one of my favourites." Zach's breath was now fanning against my neck as he appeared behind me as I admired the photo where I looked so genuinely happy.

Still looking at all the photos, "I didn't realise you were into all this photography stuff, I mean I've seen you with a camera and stuff but I had no idea you had this much talent in it."

"Yeah my dad used to be really into it and when I was about eleven he gave me his film camera and I've been obsessed ever since, I have all his old stuff now."

I turned around to face Zach because this wasn't a question I wanted to ask without looking at him, "Where are your parents Zach? Every time I've been here they haven't, and you _never_ mention them like ever." His eyes turned dark at the mention of his parents and I felt my palms become clammy from nerves that I had over stepped the mark.

"I've told you this before Cam, not everything is as black and white as it seems." I raised an eyebrow at his vague answer but told him I was willing to drop it if he didn't want to talk about it yet he disputed me, "No I want to tell you. I live here with my brother whose 22 and works in some office block somewhere. I don't really know to be honest. Anyway my mum left us all about a year after I was born to go off with some guy she met before she fell pregnant with me from Germany, so that's where I am presuming she is. My dad however, four years ago he got hit by a truck after the driver fell asleep while driving. He didn't die straight away, they operated on him and we all genuinely thought he was going to pull through but on his last operation he lost too much blood and well he didn't make it."

My mouth was slightly open as he spoke, his eyes turning from anger to sadness as he told me his story. Reaching out I entwined our fingers squeezing his hand tightly, I looked back up to see his eyes still locked on our hands. I lightly rubbed his thumb against his knuckles, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

He just shrugged in response and when I thought he was about to pretend the conversation never happened he looked up and his eyes were watery with tears and I felt my heart break a little bit inside. With a voice quite thick with the tears daring to spill he spoke, "Don't be, I never told you because I only tell certain people. I guess you're now certain people," I laughed lightly at his attempt to lighten the mood, "I just really miss him sometimes, he was doing so good for himself. An amazing job and new girlfriend, he managed to pay the mortgage off so that's why we can still afford to stay here."

I nod, not quite sure how to respond, his eyes have dried up now and a ghost of a smile lurked on his lips. "Hey, he'll be proud of you, you know? Who in their right mind wouldn't be proud to have you as their son? You're kind, caring, talented and smart. You are one of the most amazing people I know."

"You're amazing; you made me feel like utter crap to half decent in less than a second." Before I could respond he softly pressed his lips on mine and the pulled away but his face was still close enough that his breath dusted against my wet lips, "We need to talk about your dad though, what are we going to do tomorrow?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, "We'll talk tomorrow, I promise, but right now I just want to sleep."

 **I'm sorry for the late update and a bit of a filler chapter, but I promise it will get better. Thanks for all the support so far, I really didn't expect it. Leave a review on what you think or want to happen at the welcome home party!**


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning I woke up with a weight on my waist and my neck felt sore to move, opening my eyes I was met by the sight of my reflection on the mirror against the back of Zach's bedroom door. My neck, given I didn't look at it last night, had a light purple line across it from where my dad's arm had been. I tried to lift Zach's arm off me but his grip tightened until my back was flush against his chest.

"Don't break your promise, we need to talk." If the situation was different I would shiver at Zach's mouth being so close to my ear and his croaky morning voice being the first thing I heard. I rolled over so I was facing him, his head propped up on his palm as he leaned on his pillow with his elbow. Reaching out he ran his thumb across my cheekbone, "I can't let him hurt you again."

Closing my eyes and subconsciously scooted closer to him and I felt myself drunk on his touch, god I was in deep, "We still need to go today, he hurt me but I won't let him do it again. I punched him remember, I can protect myself now. But I can't ruin today, not after my mum went through so much to make this day so special for the bastard."

Without much thought in my actions I moved so my arms were wrapped around Zach's waist and he was now lying on his back as he held me against him, his fingers trailing up and down my arm. "How can I protect you Cammie if you won't even tell anyone?" His voice was so desperate and my heart ached at his need to be there for me.

"Don't you get it yet?" We were silent for a moment my head pressed against his chest, "Around you I don't need protecting, you make me feel like I could run through flames and still come out just fine. You make me feel safe and secure." I heard his heart beat hard against his chest, and I smiled. "You're hearts beating really fast."

It got faster after that and Zach pulled my tighter against him, "Yeah I know. That's the effect you have on me."

Zach and I got up soon after that, it wasn't the talk Zach wanted and I knew that but it was the talk we did and so far I'm happy with it. We were going up the elevator back to my apartment before my mum hits the roof because I wasn't there to help. I showered and changed at Zach's so I have on the jeans I arrived at his last night on and one of his tops- it's a black Levi one that is honestly the comfiest thing.

As the elevator stopped and the doors opened I felt myself stuck in place but then I felt Zach's hand in mine and I had the power to move again. "I can't believe I let you wear my favourite top." Zach mumbled making me laugh as we approached the door.

"Suck it up because you're not getting this back I've wanted a Levi top for ages now and this is legit the softest thing ever."

We stopped in front of my door and I turned to look up at Zach and he was smiling softly down at me, "It looks pretty good on you anyway." Then quickly he dipped his head down and planted a soft kiss on my lips, I leaned further into it to try and savour this but then I had to pull away. "Are you okay?"

I smiled weakly at him, "With you here I am." Zach then softly kissed my forehead and then I unlocked the door and walked into the apartment.

When I walked in I was met by the smell of cooking food and my mum and dad laughing in the kitchen, "Cammie is that you?" I heard my mum shout and I walked through to the kitchen, "I was hoping you'd turn up soon, your dad said you weren't in when he got home I presumed you were at Bex's. Good job we left a key under the mat otherwise your dad would have been out there till God knows, he got the dates mixed up baby he got here last night."

Her entire face was lit up, her eyes lighter and more carefree and her smile so natural I found my lips twitching too. She hadn't called me 'baby' in years and I felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside. My dad was standing by the counter mashing a pot of potatoes and he turned around and his dark eyes met mine. "Oh my god Cammie what the hell happened to your neck?" He dropped when he was doing and ran to my side, no one had noticed Zach lurking behind me, his voice full of concern.

For a moment I thought maybe he was too drunk to remember it but his eyes met mine daring me to spill the beans, "I was at the gym last night and somehow managed that." I mumbled never leaving my dad's eyes and he smirked at me nodding, my mum then appeared and made a shocked sound.

"Were you angry? I told you not to work out angry, it only ends in a mess Cam." Her fingers lightly touched my neck, the bruising had reduced a bit and it wasn't as sore to move or touch anymore. I would probably be all healed in a few days.

I pulled away, "I'm fine mum. This is Zach by the way, you've met him before." I announced grabbing his hand and pulling him into the kitchen.

My mum's eyes wandered from our entwined hands to the large top I had on that clearly wasn't mine, "Lovely to see you again Zach, Matthew come and meet Cammie's friend." My dad appeared and his eyes narrowed in on Zach, "Darling this is Zach, he is one of the great friends I was telling you about." My dad's eyes scanned Zach and a look of disgust greeted his features.

"You two dating?" My mum gasped and slapped him, playfully glaring at him, "I'm sorry honey, but it was just a question. I don't often wear my friend's clothes and hold their hands."

Before I could argue Zach spoke up, "No we aren't dating, but we are really good friends and I really like her so you never know where it will lead." He smirked at me and I just rolled my eyes at him a smile on my lips.

I turned to face my dad, realising that in the eyes of my mother this was the first time I had seen his in a year, "Welcome home dad." As I was about to walk away he wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me. I stiffened completely and gasped for air, I heard my mum muttering how lovely the scene was and my dad mumbling against my ear how much he missed me.

I wanted to be sick.

Eventually I pulled away and smiled at him and my mum then made an excuse for me and Zach to go upstairs to my room, as we were heading up the small set of stairs I heard my dad say to my mum, "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with Cammie having a boys like that in her room, or staying at their's overnight, we'll have to put together some rules Rachel."

When the door was closed to my room I frustratingly ran my fingers through my hair, "How dare he? Like he's been in _prison_ and he comes back and thinks he can act like a dad and make rules and pass judgement on who I spend my time with. He's unbelievable."

Zach then stood behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders began massaging them, his thumb digging into my shoulder blades, "He is pretty unbelievable; I'm surprised I didn't hit him when he hugged you." His voice was soft and he chuckled at the end of his sentence, but I could hear the underlying anger in it.

Leaning back against him I suddenly felt exhausted, this is what that man does to me, my body relaxed and the tightness that came with being under the same roof than Matthew subsided, "Part of me wishes you did, but the sane part is glad you didn't." Zach lifted his hands from my shoulders and I turned to face him, "Thank you. For everything, you didn't have to forgive me but I'm glad you did."

I wanted to tell him then, tell him how I _really_ feel but I didn't want to ruin this just yet.

It was two hours into this crap party; all of the gang was here, most of my mum's friends and all of my dad's old friends who didn't think he was a thug. There wasn't that many who thought that. Everyone was up on the roof catching my dad up on everything he may have missed from football scores to whose kids are going to college.

I was sitting between Bex and Zach, my legs propped on his that were propped up on a table, "How you doing Cammie, with your dad and stuff?"

I looked at Bex, "Okay I guess, it's a bit weird but I have to get used to it."

"You can stay with me for a bit if you want you know, if it's too weird being with your dad." Bex knew my dad got angry and drunk a lot before he went inside, and she knew the anger was usually pointed towards me; however she didn't know that he hit me. And she would never know. That's why she knew why I'm so against my dad being back here, the gang however just saw me go off the rails and they kind of gathered that I didn't want him back in my life.

Smiling genuinely at her, "Thanks Bex, but I need to get over it. I'm not going to upset my mum any more than I already have in the last year."

After that we got into our usual conversations about school and mocking each other- on a friendly way- and I became more relaxed. Eventually I had my head rested on Zach's shoulder as his arm wrapped around my waist, it didn't take long for the gang to pick up on stuff. "Right I'm not one to beat around the bush so I'm not going to start now; can you two please tell us what the hell is going on between you two?" Nick cut through the conversation and looked at Zach and me.

I felt my cheeks warm up as the whole gang turned to look at me, Adam's eyes met mine and I saw the anger in them. For some reason he is really against the idea of Zach and me getting closer. I lifted my head from Zach's shoulder and his hold on my waist loosened, but his hand still rested lightly on my hip. "I have no idea what you're talking about." I stated and the smirk on Nick's just grew.

"Bull crap Cammie, just tell us we are meant to be best friends."

"We are just closer than we used to be," not a lie, "Can you just stop with the group interrogation." I didn't know whether Zach wanted everyone to know what was going on between us, so I was planning on keeping it on the down low for the time being. But we'd have to talk about it soon. "Now before you embarrass me any further I'm going to go and get a drink."

"I'll give you a hand." Bex said and she and Macey stood up. _Great now it's time for girl interrogation._

The drinks table was pretty quiet since people just grabbed and left so it was only us three, I poured myself a plastic cup of lemonade and offered the girls one but they quickly dismissed it, "Right spill." Bex stated and I rolled my eyes telling her how ridiculous she was being.

"That's the boy isn't it? The boy you kissed, I told you I would figure it out!" Macey exclaimed, and then I remembered after the first kiss Zach and I shared I asked Macey about it. _Oh how stupid of me._ But considering my cheeks were heating up it didn't really take a genius to figure out she was right. "So are you two together now?"

Suddenly I felt really uncomfortable as my two closest friends stared at me as if I held the answer on how to end world hunger so I fiddled with the ends of my long hair, "Well there's no official label been put on it yet but I do really like him. And I think he likes me too."

"Whoa, first you need to tell us how this even came about and what you've been doing." Bex explained. So I briefly explained what's been going on, it was a pretty run down version but the main parts were there. The kissing, fighting and making up; including the screw up I made the other night. "Cam you have to stop pushing people away. You clearly really like Zach and you know just as well as we do, he isn't going to hurt you." Bex explained once I was done.

"I know that Bex, but it's just my thing I guess. The minute people get too close I feel as though it's my duty to protect them and push them away." Sighing I took a sip of my drink, "But I don't really want to push Zach away."

Then Macey made a big awing sound and I saw the guys all looking at us as she pulled me into a tight completely over the top hug, "The Ice Queen is falling in love." I quickly yanked myself from her muttering swear words at her in the process, "No but seriously if you don't think he likes you as much as you like him you must be blind." I gave her a confused look as Bex nodded along with her, "Seriously he looks at you like you the most precious thing in the world, and he doesn't just look at you like a horny 17 year old he looks at you like someone who genuinely cares for you. You have to talk to him Cam."

Nodding at her, "You're right but I'm just scared we'll lose what we have now, because it's kind of great."

It was now nightfall and most of the guest had left, my dad had gone to the local pub with his old drinking friends and my mum and her friends were cleaning up everything down in the apartment. There wasn't that much since all the plates and cups were paper or plastic. We, the gang, decided to go and join the majority of the junior class and go to the beach where there was an arcade and some crappy unsafe fair rides.

Slinging his arm over my shoulder Adam pulled me against him interrupting me as I spoke to Macey, "So do you think if I win you a big toy animal you'll give me a kiss." I didn't really know how to act around Adam anymore after what Zach said he did regarding freezing me out.

"You could win me everything possible in this place and I still wouldn't kiss you." I said it in a jokey way so he tilted his head back laughing and then I saw that his eyes were a bit glossy so I realised he must have had a few drinks. "Hey, are you drunk?"

He looked at me with a sloppy smirk on his lips, "Babe I'm just having fun, so be it if alcohol is in the mix." Then he kissed my cheek and walked off to go and see some boys from the football team that were calling him over. The minute he got there a pretty brunette started talking to him and he, being the flirt he was, placed a hand on her waist pulling her to him. I raised my eyebrows at his behaviour.

"I bet Zach wouldn't have to win you a teddy for a kiss." Bex whispered as she joined me with Grant by her side, I playfully glared at her. "So we're going on the spinning claw thing, do you want to join us?" I nodded and then we joined the queue.

Since Adam had went off with the jocks like he usually did it was just Bex, Grant, Nick, Macey, Zach and me. Zach would usually go off with Adam since he didn't like playing gooseberry as the two pairs flirted but he seemed to have tagged along tonight. As Bex and Grant began their usual couple bickering over who was more likely to be sick after this and Macey and Nick openly made out, I guess they must be realising that their perfect for one another, Zach and I stood next to each other.

"You and Adam looked pretty cosy earlier." Zach stated after a moment and I felt my lips curl into a smirk at the jealousy in his tone.

"Yeah he was asking how many toys he would have to win me for me to kiss him." I laughed but Zach didn't really find it that funny, "The answer was regardless of how many he won me I wouldn't kiss him." I quickly stated and then saw him relax again, "It's quite the turn on seeing how jealous you get." I stated and I saw Zach's cheeks tinge red.

"I'm not jealous." I nodded but he could clearly see I didn't believe him, "I'm not." He argued.

"Okay whatever you say babe." I was smirking but soon my smirk dropped when Zach grabbed my wrist and pulled me between the claw ride and a hook-a-duck stall. "What?"

He had my back against the metal wall of the ticket book for the ride, his chest against mine, "What did you call me?" There wasn't much room here and it was pretty dark with only the glow of the lights from the rides, but no one would be able to see us.

I gave him a confused look and then flushed with embarrassment, "Nothing." He pressed himself harder against me, it didn't hurt but it did make it very hard to think clearly, "Babe, I called you babe." I mumbled. But before I could justify my slip up Zach's lips were on mine.

It didn't take long for me to react; my hands went to his chest gripping his top in my fingers as he left warm passionate kisses on my lips. He gripped my hands entwining our fingers and then placed them above my head as he made his entire body flush against mine, I couldn't stop the soft moan as he did. I felt like my whole body was on fire with ecstasy, I started trying to get closer to him by moving my hips into him and I smirked as he groaned against my lips.

His hands left mine and ran down my sides until they reached my hips and then gripping my thighs he lifted me up and I wrapped them around his waist, my fingers deep in his hair. His lips were on my neck and were slowly getting lower as they brushed over my collarbone until eventually his mouth reached the top of one of my breast's where my V neck top had been pulled down. Gasping I tightened my legs around his waist and pulled his mouth to mine.

"We need to stop." I mumbled and then we lifted our lips from one another.

Both of us were gasping for breath, my legs still tight around Zach's waist since I doubted they would really be strong enough to hold me at the moment. His hands held my legs tightly so I knew I wasn't falling anytime soon. As I placed my hands on either side of his face, my thumb running over his slightly swollen lips, Zach asked, "Do you want to stay at mine tonight?"

Without even needing a second to think about it I quickly agreed.

 **Sorry for the late update I was away all weekend with really bad internet. Hope you like this update, the next chapter with be Zamme and some drama between Cammie and her dad.**

 **Please leave a review, I really appreciate it.**


	11. Chapter 11

**There is a bit of a heated scene I will mark where it starts and ends if you feel uncomfortable, I don't find it that bad but some other's might so please respect that.**

 **Also longer chapter whoop!**

After Zach and I had calmed down we had joined the gang again and they gave us knowing glances about our disappearance, it was an hour later and being this close to Zach but not being able to touch him was making me get a headache. All I could think about was that kiss. It was the type of kiss that made you think the whole world had shaken because of it.

As the night grew to an end and we started getting nearer our curfew's we started heading back to the carpark, "Do you want us to give you a lift home?" Macey asked as her and Bex got into her small Fiat.

"No you're okay; Zach's giving me a ride." I wasn't going to tell them we were going back to his but they smirked and giggled regardless.

As they hopped in Macey rolled down her window and shouted out, "Have fun and use protection."

I flushed with embarrassment as the Grant and Nick both slapped Zach on the back laughing as they got in Nick's car, Adam went home with the brunette an hour ago. I walked over to Zach and he handed me a helmet, "You sure you're okay coming back to mine? I'll understand if you've changed your mind." Grabbing the helmet I pecked him on the lips smiling.

"Come on, an hour wait was long enough." Smirking he got on the bike and I swung my leg over to join him as I wrapped my arms around his waist.

As we neared his house I began to feel nervous, this felt too planned, we hadn't explicitly said we were going to go all the way but it was on the cards. I wanted to and I think Zach did, but I didn't want to mess it up like the other night. But I didn't have long to think about it before Zach parked his bike in his garage and took my helmet off me and put it on the shelf next to his.

Helping me off he stood in front of me and lightly touched my cheek, "You okay?" I smiled and nodded then he grabbed my hand and walked me from the garage into the side door towards the kitchen.

Once we were in his room I felt a bit on edge, "Is your brother not home?"

Zach was kicking his shoes off so I thought I should follow in suit, "No, he's staying at his girlfriend's tonight." I nodded and then Zach turned to face me. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to you know, I didn't invite you here with that in mind. I just like spending time with you, including just sleeping next to you."

His voice was so calm and relaxing and suddenly I didn't feel as nervous. I walked over to him as he stood in the middle of the room; I placed one hand on his waist and the other onto his neck as I pulled his lips to meet mine. He wasn't that much taller than me so he didn't have to bend down that much. It was soft and slow kisses at first, taking our time as we got into the rhythm of things.

Moving his hands from his side he placed one onto the nape of my neck tilting it backwards so he had easier access to my lips, as he did this he traced his tongue across my bottom one before putting it into my mouth. His tongue pressed against mine and I moved my arms so they were around his neck and pulling him closer to me.

Although he was kissing me hard and hungrily, his movements were slow and careful. I didn't know whether he was nervous since this was his first time or if he just wanted to treat me this way. Slowly walking me until my back was against his closed door he ran his hands from my neck down my sides, one of them going under my top and resting on the small of my back. My fingers were digging through his hair and across his shoulders.

Softly he began tugging at the hem of my shirt and I pulled my lips from his and grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it over my head. His hands met my bare waist and his fingers dug into the skin, I felt like my body was on fire. Without having to hint to Zach he pulled his own shirt off and then his naked chest was pushed against my bra covered one. I felt all the air fall out of my lungs and felt dizzy as his scent filled my scenes.

I realised then that I had to tell him, placing his face in my hands I pulled his lips from mine. Looking at his face I couldn't help but grin, his eyes were glossy and his lips red and the curls of his normally messy hair were falling onto his forehead. "I need to tell you something." My voice was breathless, our bodies still pressed against one another.

Gulping Zach nodded, "Is everything okay?"

I smiled at him, "Everything's great but I need to tell you this," I smiled at him and brushed the curls from his forehead, "I think I love you, no I know I do. I love you."

He was silent for a bit I knew I had blown it, but then he pressed his lips on mine hard, "I love you too." He muttered against my lips before kissing them again, this time around it wasn't as careful there was a sudden need now we had both confessed the truth.

Pushing against his chest Zach stepped back until the back of his knees met his mattress, I began kissing his neck and he then fell back against the bed and lay back. My kisses moved from his jaw down his neck until they were across his chest, my knees were on both sides of his legs as I straddled him and he held onto my waist.

Kissing him on the lips again things quickly got heated. Feeling this much of his flesh against me in one moment made my whole world spin, as he unclasped my bra and my naked chest was against his I thought I was going to pass out. Fiddling with the button of his jeans Zach eventually pulled them off and I got my bottoms off which was hard from my shaking hands, I was laying on my back and Zach was hovering over me looking intently at my face.

I expected his eyes to travel across my naked body with nothing but a pair of black pants on but he didn't he just stared deep into my eyes like I was the only thing worth looking at in the whole world, he softly kissed my lips and then with his fingers combed my hair back from my face. "I love you." Then I reached out for his face and pressed my mouth on his kissing him hard.

I woke up the next morning feeling a happiness I hadn't felt in a long time. The sun was filling up the room from us forgetting to shut the curtains last night; I glanced at the alarm clock to see it was nearly midday. _We were up pretty late last night._ Noticing that Zach must have gone downstairs and from the smell of food coming up the stairs I got out of his bed, grabbing the shirt he wore yesterday and then randomly picking a drawer and happy that it was the right one I grabbed a pair of his boxers and put them on.

Checking my reflection I ran my fingers through my hair to tame it and then washed my face and the makeup off I had on yesterday. Making my way out of Zach's room and downstairs I saw him sitting at the kitchen table on his phone as he sipped a very milky looking coffee, "You really need to learn how to drink your coffee black."

He looked up and smirked when he saw me, "Morning, nice clothes." I blushed but didn't make any comment that would probably just embarrass me further. I stood next to him and he snaked his arm around my waist until eventually I had no other option but to sit on his lap. "I was going to wake you up but I would rather you have as much sleep as you can."

I smiled at him and kissed him softly on the lips, "So, last night." Zach blushed slightly and I felt myself do the same, "Did you enjoy it, like was it what you expected or did I shatter you dreams on what sex is like?" I realised I was rambling but I didn't really care, I wasn't as embarrassed as I would be with anyone else.

Zach smiled at me and smoothed his hand across my hair, "Yes I did enjoy it, very much so, it was even more than I expected." Laughing I leaned in to kiss him, it quickly turned heated as he pulled me against him and I ran my tongue along his lower lip. As our tongues pressed against one another a voice broke through the room.

"You do realise we eat there?" I pulled away from Zach and turned to see an older version of him standing by the oven with a smirk on his lips. "Hey bro, see you've been making good use of the empty house."

Blushing like mad I dug my face in the crook of Zach's neck as I still sat on his lap and he laughed at me rubbing his thumb against my bare thigh. "Morning Dean, how's Lexi?" Zach asked and I eventually moved my head from his neck and turned to his brother, Dean.

"She's good, got that job she applied for so she's pretty ecstatic about that. But enough about me, who's this cute blonde?" His voice was teasing Zach and by the way his cheeks heated I would say Dean was doing a good job.

Zach lifted me from his lap and I stood next to him as he poured me a mug of black coffee, "Dean this is Cammie she's my…" He trailed off; we hadn't really discussed our relationship label even though we had both said 'I love you'.

Deciding to save him I leaned over and shook Dean's hand, "Lovely to meet you Dean." Zach sighed softly and wrapped his arm around my waist so I was against him and I felt his lips on my head, "Cool top." I stated as I saw he had on a vintage Rolling Stones top.

Dean looked down at his top, "Yeah, you a fan of the Rolling Stones?" I nodded as I sipped my coffee, "Zach I like her, I think we can keep her." Laughing he poured himself a coffee.

"Wow thanks so much bro I'm so happy now I have your approval." Zach shouted back sarcastically as Dean left the kitchen and said goodbye as he went upstairs. "What do you want to do today?" Zach asked as I turned around to face him again.

"I should probably show my face at home, and I need to do some training since I've got that big competition in two weeks." Zach nodded.

"Do you want me to stay with you while you're at home?" I shook my head, "Okay well lets go get changed and I'll drop you off back home."

Zach parked his bike outside of my apartment block and after about five minutes of arguing I finally won so he couldn't come up with me, even though I really wanted him too, "Babe please just go home and stop worrying about me I'll be fine."

His green eyes turned serious and then he grabbed my waist in his hands, "Cammie for as long as you are in the same building as that man I will be worrying about you." Sighing I just nodded and looked down at our feet as they touched one another. "Can I ask you something?" I looked up at him and then a pool of worry filled me when I saw the nervousness on his face, "Would you like to go on a date with me? I know we're doing things in the complete wrong order but the only 'date' thing we've done is 1AM coffee."

Smirking at him and leaned up and kissed him, "Of course I'll go on a date with you." Then pulling him closer towards me I kissed him harder needing this feeling to last till I got into the apartment, "Right I should go, I love you."

Zach sighed and rubbed his thumb over my cheekbone with one hand and his other was on the small of my back, "I love you too." Giving him one last kiss and handing over my helmet I made my way towards the elevator.

When I stepped inside the house I walked into the living room to see my mum and dad sitting on the sofa watching the television, "I'm back."

My mum looked up at me, "Where've you been honey? We called Bex and Macey and they both said you were at theirs so I know at least one of them is lying."

I sighed and sat on the love seat away from them, "Yeah I wasn't at either of theirs I was at Zach's again."

My mum raised her eyebrows and I felt my cheeks redden but before she could say anything my dad did, "Look Cammie I know I've been away for a while but I want to make some rules, I am your dad after all," I scoffed and my mum looked disapprovingly at me while my dad glared with disgust, "Rule number one being you treat me with some respect, the second rule is no staying over at boy's houses and no boys in your room."

I rolled my eyes at him, "I'm seventeen I think I'm older enough to have a boy in my room."

"You are still my daughter and until you're eighteen you'll live by my rules." He was angry and he was playing the doting father card which was _really_ pissing me off.

"Can I just refresh your memory? You have been in jail for a year, we lost everything to save your pathetic ass form getting a longer sentence than you did also you can't come back and expect to it to be just the same. Mum and I have a system, you may be back but you can't just start dictating rules as if you never left." Without waiting for his response I went to my room slamming my door behind me.

Calming down I put my phone on charge since it died last night and put a record on, then getting my books out I began doing some homework. About half an hour later I heard a knock on my door and my mum asking to come in. Telling her she could she come inside and I turned my music down as she sat on the edge of my bed and I turned to face her.

"Baby please don't test him. He's got a bit of a short fuse, I think he's trying to make up for the year he lost, I know you're angry at him and I am not asking you to forgive him right this second but please try." Her voice was soft and I could tell she had been shouting, I mustn't have heard it over my music.

"I am trying mum, but he's making it really hard. We didn't even think we'd have a home at one point because of him and now he thinks he can just control my life."

"I've told him he was out of order and he is going to have to earn your trust before he can make any sort of rules." We were silent for a moment and my phone lit up beside my mum with a text from Zach, glancing at it and then smirking at my red face. "So Zach?"

"Mum!" I whined as I buried my face in my hands but she just laughed at me, "We are seeing each other I guess, he asked me out on a date after dropping me off here this morning."

My mum squealed, "That's so exciting! But I do need to ask as your mother, have you two you know done _it_ yet?" I didn't want to lie to my mum but I didn't really want to tell her the truth either.

"No we haven't done _it_."

This was never a conversation you want to have with your mother so you can understand that I'm not at all exaggerating when I say that I thought I was actually going to die. My mum just sat bent over holding her sides as she laughed then eventually after I whined at her she stood up and left me alone to die.

After about three hours of doing homework and texting Zach my mum called me for dinner, this was going to be fun. I sat at the table in my usual spot as my mum put some chicken stir fry on my plate and then on my dad's and then finally her own. I grabbed some Chinese dumplings and my mum did the same thing as my dad looked at us carefully.

For a moment I felt sorry for him, we had a routine and he had to now try and see where he could fit into it. But the moment didn't last long when I remembered his arm on my throat.

"What time are you getting up tomorrow?" My mum asked and I looked at her.

"I have practise at six so probably about five, why?" I asked.

"So I can get up and give you a lift."

"No its okay Bex is giving me one." My mum nodded and my dad decided to speak up.

"What sport do you play Cammie?" I glanced at him and met his eyes.

Taking a sip of my drink, "I'm on the track team, we have state championships in two weeks so we have to get as much training in as possible. I'll be doing the 100m, hurdles and relay." I answered and I saw his eye brows raise in surprise.

"Wow you must be really good."

My mum smiled and nodded, "Oh Matthew she is, the whole team is, and with the amount of training and time they put in they have to be. You should come see her at the championships; they're being hosted at the school this year."

"I wouldn't miss it," My dad answered and I looked up to meet his eyes and I saw that he was telling the truth.

This is the thing with my dad; he has two very polar personalities. One half of him is genuinely trying to be the best dad in the world and the other had no control over his anger or violence. Looking him dead in the eye I replied, "I'd really like it if you came." Then we were silent for the rest of dinner and the night.

The next morning I woke up and packed my gym bag with a pair of black frayed denim Levi shorts and black and white stripped fitted top noting that the temperature was going to be high, then I threw in my converse and wash bag and put on some running shorts and a sports bra and oversized Nike vest and my running trainers before going down stairs.

I grabbed an apple and a half empty carton of orange juice from the fridge before going down stairs to meet Bex to drive to practice. I chucked my bag into the back seat and then joined her in the front as I drank out of my carton of juice. "Morning Bex are you ready for an hour and a half of hell?" I asked with a fake over the top smile on my face.

Bex just groaned and started the car, "So how was your night with Zach?"

I knew they was coming but I was getting really sick of blushing over this boy, "It was fine," Bex raised an eyebrow at my answer, "Okay it was amazing, like literally I didn't realise it could be that _good_ I mean it was only his first time and he like made me… you know… and no one- not even that college guy from that frat party we crashed- has done that."

I sighed and fell back into my seat as Bex stared at me wide eyed, "Christ Cammie talk about too much information!" I started laughing and so did Bex, "No but seriously I'm glad you two are happy, so have you talked about what you are?"

"Erm not exactly but he did ask me out on a date yesterday when he dropped me off so hopefully we'll make it official if it isn't a train wreck." I explained laughing as I finished off my apple and then got out of the car after she parked it and put the core in the bin.

We dropped our stuff off in the changing room lockers and then went out onto the field to do stretches. I was still drinking my juice when I left and as we walked over to the field I heard a loud excited shrill from next to me and I got a shock making me spill my juice all down my front. Looking for who made the noise my eyes landed on Tina; this girl is seriously something else. She is an amazing athlete; is amazing looking has one of the highest GPA in the school and is also the girly-est girl you will ever meet.

"What the hell Tina I wanted to drink my breakfast not wear it." I was angry at her but she didn't really pick up on it, I heard Bex start laughing next to me.

"The football team are practising this morning too, so we get to see them all sweaty and due to the temperature we're going to see some abs." I rolled my eyes at her as I walked over to the point where we were stretching.

"Tina this is a kind of regular thing."

"Yes it is but it doesn't mean I can't get excited about seeing Mr Zach Goode all sweaty and shirtless on a Monday morning, every cloud." She then sighed and stared at Zach as he ran out of the changing rooms laughing with three other boys.

Bex then lost it and stared laughing hysterically making _everyone_ on the field turn to look at us so I emptied out the rest of my juice into her top, she gasped and shut up. "I'm sorry but you have to admit it was funny, you getting covered in juice and then her nearly dying over Zach." I glared at her and then smirked when I saw her wet shirt.

However our Monday morning blues were about to greet us when the booming roar of our coach reached us, "Baxter and Morgan can you please tell me why the hell you decided to turn training into a wet T shirt competition?" We both looked at our coach, he was about thirty years old and a lot of the school had a crush on him. However when you have to get up at this time on Monday mornings the novelty of his looks wears off eventually and you learn to hate him.

"I spilled it." I answered sheepishly.

"Well you can't train in them so take them off, either change or don't." Now some people may think this is inappropriate but we've trained in just sports bras before due to living in Virginia where it can get very hot, so it isn't that weird. And in the end of the day it is just a crop top which is what some people wear to school.

As Bex and I slipped out tops off some guys from the football team standing about two yards from us started whistling, I turned to glare and then I saw Zach standing looking at me with a smirk on his lips and felt my cheeks redden as his eyes wandered.

After training Bex and I showered and then went outside to sit where we usually did, today however we were there before the boys which was a surprise so it was just Macey sitting with her legs resting on a bench tanning. "Morning Mace."

She looked at us and slipped her sunglasses on her head a grin on her pink lips, "Right spill, what happened with you and Zach." Rolling my eyes I told her that we did it but didn't get as excited as I did with Bex but she still told Macey what I told her in the car anyway making Macey nearly fall off her bench laughing. "When's the date?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, probably this weekend. We didn't choose a day or anything."

"Well let us know when you do and Bex and I will tell you what to wear because I don't mean to be rude but you can't wear converse to a restaurant." I laughed at the seriousness of Macey's tone and so did Bex. "Also why did I overhear the football team talking about how great Bex's boobs are when they finished off practice?"

"Oh because Cammie spilled her juice on herself and then I laughed because she did it from Tina gasping at the thought of a sweaty topless Zach so Cammie got pissed and poured the rest of the juice on me. So we had to take out tops off." Bex explained but by the time she was done we were all laughing hysterically at the stupidity of the whole thing, it wasn't even _that_ funny but we were just in one of those moods.

As we sat bent over laughing the boys appeared and Grant and Nick sat between Bex and Macey and then Zach sat next to me, "What's so funny?" Nick asked as he slung his arm over Macey and she sat closer to him.

"They were just filling me in on their little mini food fight before practise." Macey explained.

Zach was next to me and I knew he would have filled in the boys just like I filled the girls in so I was hesitant to sit closer to him, he quickly reacted by wrapping his arms around my waist and placing a quick kiss on my forehead while mumbling "Good morning."

"Yeah we saw Cammie nearly crap herself and spilling juice on herself, quite funny." Grant explained. "So how's the two love birds?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "The only piece of advice I have is to always wear protection, there is nothing quite like a mood killer when you realise you've forgotten."

I groaned in annoyance and embarrassment as Zach just laughed and pulled me against him as I hid my face against his chest.

 **Well this was long one, I didn't realise it was until I was done. Zammie is going along pretty smoothly, but for how long? I am thinking of maybe doing a Zach POV for one chapter but I don't know if it will fit in with the flow, if you want it say but I might still change my mind.**

 **Sorry for such a late update my wifi decided to break, I'll try and get them more regular.**


	12. Chapter 12

I was sitting at the kitchen table eating my breakfast before school, my mum was still asleep but I heard my dad get up about ten minutes ago. I ignored him when he said good morning and went into the living room, as I finished my food and put my plate in the dishwasher I began to head upstairs however my dad's voice stopped me.

"Look I told you I can't get what you need," He sounded annoyed, standing so my back was against the wall next to the door frame I held my breathe to try and not be heard, "Yes I get that I have two weeks babe but I need to milk this out a bit more and then we'll be gone."

Before I could hear anything else he closed the door when my mums alarm went off, not being able to think straight I quickly went upstairs to my room. _Who was he on the phone to and why did he call them babe?_ By the sounds of it he was planning on going off with them, I had to confront him but before that I had to find out some more stuff.

Cutting through my train of thought was my phone going off, a text from Bex asking if I wanted a ride but I declined saying I would rather walk and she could save gas. So seeing as if I wanted to be on time and walk I put my shoes on and grabbed my bag and headed out of the door saying a quick goodbye to my mum and feeling uneasy when I saw my dad was no longer on his phone.

As I walked to school all I could think about was who the hell my dad was on the phone to, I think I know what it sounded like but I don't really want to admit that just yet. When I reached school I went to my locker my brain too much of a mess to face the gang just yet, quickly putting my books for the afternoon in my locker I slammed it shut to see Zach standing there with a smile on his lips.

I looked at him and I felt my lips curl slightly in return but it didn't last long, "I'd say good morning but I feel as though you wouldn't agree." His voice was worried but he smirked slightly at the end.

Sighing I turned away so my back was against the row of lockers and I leaned my head back, he moved so his arm was above my head and he was in front of me. "I heard something," I stopped for a moment and I saw Zach's brows furrow as he waited for me to finish, "My dad was on the phone this morning and it sounded weird."

His brows got closer together, "How?"

Slumping my shoulders as ran my fingers through my hair, "I don't know, he was saying stuff about not having something yet and that when he did he would be with whoever was on the other end of the phone."

Zach reached out and placed his hand on the nape of my neck, digging his fingers into the roots of my hair, "Look at me," I met his gaze, "Whatever he has planned you don't have to worry about it, I know you will regardless but you don't have to."

I looped my fingers in the belt loops of his jeans so he was closer and I saw people looking at us and Zach's eyes widen slightly but I didn't really care I needed him there, "What if he hurts my mum? I can't let him do that." He didn't say anything because he knew I was too stubborn, "I'm going to confront him about it I think, just ask who he was on the phone to."

Zach's whole body tensed up, "Is that wise Cam? You know more than anyone how he gets when he's angry."

I nodded and lifted myself from my locker, "I know but I have to do _something_." Then I walked towards our usual sitting spot and Zach followed before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and I wrapped mine around his waist.

You know when you can't stop thinking about something all day and it makes you go crazy? Yeah well this is what is going on right now about my dad's stupid phone call. I am sitting in History as the teacher is going on about some test we have next week on some revolution but all I can think about is that stupid phone call. As if the teacher knew I wasn't listening he decided now would be the perfect time to ask me a question, "Miss Morgan care to share with us what is so fascinating about the car park?" I gave him a confused look to which he responded, "Well it is what you've been staring at for the past thirty minutes."

My cheeks warmed up slightly as some of the class members chuckled, "Sorry Sir, just got a lot on my mind."

"Don't we all Morgan, but how about we stop thinking about the latest boy band drama and focus on history."

Before I had so much of a chance to respond I heard some bone head jock in the back of the room decide to speak up, "She's probably thinking about her criminal of a dad, now he's back in town." It was a pointless comment that served no purpose whatsoever to the exchange the teacher and I were having; it was just some jack ass trying to be a smart ass.

I turned around to see one of the members of the football team smirking at me, his name is James and he is usually alright to talk to but he does have his moments when he really lives up to the stereotype of jocks being jerks. "How about you shut the fuck up before I come over there and make you?" I spat my threat at him my eyes never once leaving his.

The minute I said it I regretted it, "Miss Morgan I suggest you pick up your stuff and head straight to the principal's office, now!" The teacher's voice boomed over to me, the silence that followed was deadly. His face was red with anger and his eyes were the size of footballs.

As I stood up to leave James decided he wanted the last word so as I picked up my bag he muttered, "Father like daughter." Without having much control on my actions I pulled my fist back and punched him dead in the face, in an instant blood covered his face as it gushed from his mouth. I had caught him smack on mouth making his lips bust and probably his gums.

He moved his hands up to cup his face and I felt everything drain from me because he was bang on, _I was like my father and it made me sick._

I had just been sat in the principal's office for over an hour which first started with just me and him until about half an hour in James appeared with a cleaned up swollen face. Before James appeared I explained everything to the principle from start to finish, all the truth about me swearing and hitting because if I was going to hit like my dad I was sure as hell not going to pretend it was normal. I was going to get punished for it.

So after James tried to play the victim a bit more, which in all honestly he was, I ended up with detention which would be 'community service' every night after school for two weeks after some serious grovelling. James ended up with one lunch time detention for the comment he made but I didn't really think he deserved anything more than that, he was right I am like that monster.

When we left it was just me and James in the small hallway between the office and reception, "Look I'm sorry I completely over reacted I just kind of blew up. You got me on a really bad day."

I turned to face James and saw it was mainly superficial damage, "It's fine, sure I am pretty pissed off at you but I was being an ass and I've had this coming all year to be honest. I must say though you pack a pretty good punch in you, see you around." And then with that weird acceptance of apology he pulled his bag further up his shoulder and left to probably get some lunch since it was that time of the day.

I didn't really feel like sitting with the gang, my head was all over the place and I still felt sick from the thought of being like that psycho. So instead I grabbed my lunch from the canteen and was lucky that the gang were sitting on the outside tables and went out through the hall and went and sat on the bleachers out of the way of the picnic benches.

As I sat and chewed my sandwich I felt someone sit next to me, "Hey."

I looked to see Zach, he looked a mixture of emotions but mostly he looked concerned, he ran his hands on his thigh clad jeans as he spoke. "Hey." There was a silence for a moment, "Are you going to tell me why you decided to punch James in the face?"

His voice was angry and I didn't dare look at his face because I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it, "He said something that annoyed me." Zach scoffed at my lame response, "He said the truth, and the truth hurt like hell."

"What did he say?" Although I could still hear the anger I could kind of hear fear in Zach's voice, I know I sounded distant and I guess he must be a little on edge.

I placed my sandwich on the bench next to me and turned to face Zach and saw he was already looking at me, "He said I was like me dad." Anger. That was all I could see in Zach's green eyes as they stared down at me, "And I guess after punching the cocky bastard he was right, I am just like him."

"No, no you're nothing like him. One punch doesn't make you a child beater Cammie. One punch at some bone head jock who has been asking for it since the start of his freshman year doesn't make you a psycho. You are not your dad; you are _nothing_ like him Cammie." He sounded so convinced and I wanted to laugh because a small part of me believed him.

"I punched some arsehole for no reason." I was whispering but my voice was still strong and steady.

Zach placed his hands on my shoulders, I knew I was frustrating him but that wasn't my intention, "There was a reason though, I've asked around and I heard what he said to you. Some people just snap some days, sure maybe you shouldn't have punched the boy but you know that. Your dad doesn't know he shouldn't punch you, otherwise he wouldn't do it again." I sighed in response as his green eyes stared down at me begging me to believe him, "You are not your dad Cammie, please don't think that." His voice was softer this time and I couldn't help it, my eyes began to fill with tears.

I believed him, and I hated that I did because I didn't want to. It was a lot easier hating yourself than thinking you deserved better. Running his thumbs under my eyes to rid the tears Zach pulled my face closer to his, he rested his head on my forehead. "I don't deserve you Zach."

My eyes were closed but I still felt and heard him lightly chuckle, "Don't be stupid Cam, you deserve a hell of a lot more than what I can give you. But I'll try." I had to squeeze my eyes shit to stop the floodgates opening, knowing my brain couldn't come up with any words to respond to I just pressed my lips on his.

At first it was tender and slightly tear stained until I moved my hands to his waist pulling him so he was closer to me, I draped my legs over his as he sat on the bench and had one hand on his shoulder and the other cupping his cheek. The kiss turned hard and I wanted more, my name fell out of his mouth in a soft moan and then his mouth was back on mine claiming dominance. I didn't really care that we were at school and in clear view of pretty much anyone who wanted to look, all I cared about was the way Zach's lips moved powerfully against mine, how his fingers dug into my sides with such desire and how I could feel his heart beating against my chest.

* * *

It was four days later, Friday, and all people can talk about is me punching James which I should have expected but it is still hell. James had told me that he was a little pissed at me, understandable, but he really couldn't care less. He just got a lot of stick for getting a punch off a girl, to which he quickly told everyone that it didn't even hurt and was merely a flesh wound and nothing more.

My parents didn't really find out about the whole incident, I don't know how that happened but I wasn't going to question it. I was sitting in my last lesson of the day and I had to skip out on training for my detention, to which coach is severely pissed at me for but I told him I would make up for all the training I am missing in my own time and I would still be able to do mornings so I could still compete.

I had to compete because if I do well it could lead to me getting offered a scholarship next year in my senior year because there is no way in hell my mum could afford to send me to college and I'm planning on getting as far as way from here as possible.

Currently I was mopping up the canteen's floor in the name on my community service, and apart from a few people in classroom detentions and the odd teacher I was the alone in the school. I had ten minutes left and then I would be free for two days and then I would only have one more week left of this community service crap.

Eventually I finished the floor and stuffed the cleaning stuff in the janitor's closet and began heading out of the school, as I turned the corner towards the gate I saw Zach leaning against his bike with his phone in one hand tapping away. My lips involuntary curled into a smile and as I approached him his head rose and the corner of his lips did the same. "What are you doing here?" I asked as I stepped in front of him and he pulled me closer by my waist.

"I was thinking I could take you out on our first date." Lazily I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him softly, "Is that a yes?"

Laughing I responded, "Of course it is, where were you thinking?"

I ran my fingers through the short lengths of his hair on the back on his head and smirked as his eyes rolled shut, "I was thinking we could go to the coast, get some food there and watch the sunset and then I'll get you home by one."

His voice was slightly breathless and I laughed lightly at him, "You're being very promiscuous at how long I'll be out with you."

My tone was teasing as I pressed my hips against his; he pulled me tighter against him, "Well I was thinking we could make a quick pit stop at mine beforehand."

His voice was low and rough as I leaned closer to him, "Really? What were you thinking of doing?" Before he could answer my lips met his and I wrapped my arms tightly around him so I was flush against him. He quickly responded and held onto my waist with tight hands holding me firm against him as his mouth moved passionately over mine, all the tension that I was feeling about everything went into this kiss. I didn't care that we were in the middle of the school carpark and anyone leaving the school or going by it would see us, all I cared about was Zach and how he made everything seem so simple.

Zach flipped us so I was against his bike and he gently placed me to I was sitting on the seat and he stood between my opened legs, I tightened my thighs around his legs as he dipped slightly so his lips would still be on mine. "Goode and Morgan get off the school campus or I will have to extend Miss Morgan's punishment." Zach straightened up and turned to face the young History teacher who was watching us with a smirk on his lips, his eyes trained on my chest and probably bruised lips. Sensing this Zach quickly stood in front of me and shoved a helmet over my head before he swung his legs over the bike and made me hold on before he drove off the school campus.

About half an hour later we reached the coast and were now sitting at the beach restaurant, I didn't really like that I didn't have a chance to make more of an effort for our date. I was only wearing some black low rise skinny jeans and dark grey loose V neck top, not exactly the most attractive outfit I owned. And the fact I probably smelt of disinfectant from cleaning the canteen for an hour wasn't really ideal.

We were sitting next to each other at the wooden bar that lined the outside seating area of the beach hut and looked out at the ocean. It was quite busy with families treating their kids to an end of week meal and some teenagers after school. The beach wasn't too busy though but the sun was still out and quite warm.

I glanced over at Zach to see his fries were soaked in ketchup, "You like ketchup?" I asked with a disgusted tone.

I met his gaze to see he was very confused, "Well yeah of course, everyone likes ketchup." He stated in a 'duh' tone, "Wait you don't like ketchup?" I shook my head and glanced at his food which was now practically hidden under the red sauce, "What is wrong with you? Ketchup is the king of all sauces."

"It's gross; I don't see how anyone can like it."

"I don't see how anyone cannot like it."

I laughed, "A very compelling argument." Zach pouted slightly and I reached up to grab the sun glasses that were on his head and I received another confused look, "Well if you're not going to wear them I will, the sun is blinding."

We had finished out food and were now sitting on the coast and had been for about an hour, the sun had gone down as we stayed at the restaurant for over two hours just talking and eating. I had my head resting on Zach's shoulder as he had one hand on my thigh as I snuggled further into him, "Are you cold?"

I looked up to look at him, "A little but I'll just steal some of your body heat and then I'll be fine."

Zach laughed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder holding me against his warm body, "We could just head back, that way you'd be inside and not have to practically sit on top of me."

Raising an eye brow at him, "What you don't like it when I sit on top of you?"

In one swift motion Zach moved me so I was straddling his waist and both of his hands were on the waist band of my jeans and his warm hands against my cold back, "No I love it, but I was hoping if we went back to mine we could do something that would really warm you up." Leaning up slightly he pressed his lips to the exposed skin on my chest and slowly he moved his mouth further up my neck. Softly he began lightly sucking and kissing at the sensitive skin on my neck making me grip onto his shoulders and lightly thrust my hips against him.

I felt his lips curl into a smirk against my neck so I moved my hands to his neck and tilted his face up so his lips would meet mine, I moved my lips against his softly but he quickly turned it to something a lot deeper. His mouth covering mine as his tongue moved against mine and his hands moved across my back frantically. My grip on his shoulders tightened and I knew I was digging my nails in but his touch was filling me with ecstasy, so I could get closer to him I repositioned from my knees straddling him to sitting on his lap and having my legs around him.

His hands were on my lower back pulling me closer, my lips were against his neck as I kissed him and I felt him harden slightly against my thigh as my kisses got hungrier. He breathed my name out as he moaned and forced my mouth back to his, as I began to push against his shoulders so he was lying on his back my phone began ringing from my bag next to us.

I pulled away and laughed when I heard Zach groan in frustration, I reached for my phone and answered it without looking worrying it would ring out all while Zach lazily kissed my neck and exposed skin where my shirt was pulled down. "Hello?"

I heard a sigh of relief, "Oh Cammie I'm so happy you answered, it's your dad he's in hospital he got into an accident. Please come quick, he needs you. No I need you." Zach's kissed soon stopped as I became tense and instead he stared at me with worry and he soothingly rubbed my hips as I stayed sat on him.

I was struggling to breathe at the moment, but eventually managed to answer, "Okay I'll be there right away." Then after she quickly thanked me I ended the call and stared down at my now locked phone. My mum's voice was so broken, she barely survived the first few months of my dad in jail and she saw him every weekend what would she do if he didn't make it? It would kill her.

Zach's soothing rubs turned into him shaking me and I looked to see his mouth was moving but I couldn't hear him, "My dad's in hospital I have to go see him." I blurted out over whatever Zach was saying. Quickly I stood up and looked around trying to figure out which way would be quickest for me to get to the hospital on foot.

As I grabbed my bag and began to walk away Zach grabbed my wrist, "Cammie calm down, where are you going?" I turned to look at Zach and then my vision became blurry but I shut my eyes tightly so the tears wouldn't fall- I wasn't going to cry over that man.

"The hospital, my mum needs me." My voice sounded so weak, I didn't realise I cared that much.

"I'll take you; I'm not leaving you in this state now come on." Zach was so calm but I saw the worry and fear in his eyes, he saw that I was on edge and he knew it didn't take much for me to flip and with me being a loose cannon lately god knows how I was going to handle this.

So as his eyes roamed my face in confusion when I didn't move when he began to walk I pulled him towards me with our joined hands and crushed my lips into his, there was no tongue or desperate hunger like usual. I just needed something to calm me and comfort me, I pulled away and felt a stray tear as I pressed my forehead against his, "I love you," My breathing was rapid and Zach placed his hand on the back of my neck as I tried to calm down, "So god damn much." Then I kissed him again but it was soft and quick and then we went to his bike and headed to the hospital.

 **Sorry for the late reply, my wifi has been down. I am going to try and write like a mad woman for the next few days because I am going on holiday on Saturday and want to have as many chapters as possible to have ready to put up. I'll have wifi but I won't be bringing my laptop to write on so as long as they're saved on here I should be able to update on my phone.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13

When we reached the hospital Zach quickly parked and then we went inside, I told the receptionist who I was looking for but was told that my dad was still in surgery but that my mum was in the relative's room. So after getting directions I took the stairs- not having the patience for the lift- and ran to my mum.

Once we were on the corridor I saw the dark grey door and stopped dead making Zach nearly collide into my back, "What's wrong?" Zach asked as I stared at the door with my mouth open slightly and my heart hammering against my chest.

Turning to look at Zach I replied, "What if he doesn't make it? What if I don't react the way a daughter should?" I sounded so pathetic, my voice barely above a whisper and my questions tedious but Zach just looked at me with so much love I didn't really care how pathetic I sounded around him.

"Right listen to me Cammie, if your dad does make it then that's great but if he doesn't and you don't act 'correctly' so what? Maybe then you can finally tell the truth, or maybe not. All that matters is you don't lie to yourself or feel bad if you don't feel bad or guilty if you do. Don't worry about what might happen, just focus on what's happening now. Your mum is going to need you, and you're going to be the strong girl you are and be there for her."

I nodded in response, I took a deep breath and then walked into the room to see my mum sitting in one of the chairs with her head in her hands and her shoulders were shaking as her sobs filled the small room. In a second I was kneeling down in front of her, "Mum what's going on?" She looked up to meet my eyes and I felt my stomach drop at her red rimmed eyes, not a second went by before she flung her arms around my neck and fell to the floor next to me and sobbed onto my shoulder.

As I rubbed her back soothingly and tried to calm her down she eventually stopped, "He was on the phone and then said he had to go and do something and then next thing I know Darrel from the bar was calling me saying Matthew had gotten into an accident and was on the way to hospital."

Her story came out in chunks as she gasped from trying not to break down, "What kind of accident?"

"He was hit by a car outside of the bar; they said his injuries weren't life threatening but nothing else. After the operation is when they'll have more to tell me."

I just knew the person my dad was on the phone to was that person from earlier on in the week, and it made me sick. I calmed my mum down and Zach went and got everyone something to drink and my mum something to eat and then he sat down next to me as I leaned against him and held onto my mum's hand. We sat in silence as my mum cried silently and I felt my whole body fill with rage for the monster being cut open.

About thirty minutes later a young male doctor came in, "Rachel Morgan?" My mum sat up in an instant and straightened out her clothes, "Your husband is out of surgery and it went great, we stopped the bleeding which is good. He wasn't hit as hard as he could have been if he was a few seconds later to the road, he had a broken arm and he did have a dislocated shoulder but we have popped that back in place.

"He will be sore for a few days and will have to stay in here for a while for observation, the operation wasn't a heavy one and the bleeding wasn't that bad but we still want to keep an eye on him. He should make a full recovery and be back to normal within a month apart from the cast." When he finished my mum had the biggest smile of relief on her face.

"He's going to be okay?" She sounded so happy and the doctor smiled down at her nodding as he put his pen back in his chest pocket and his hand with my dad's file in fell to his side, "Do you hear that Cammie baby, he's going to be okay." I smiled and nodded, "Can we see him?"

"Of course, room 307- two at a time at the moment he has went through a lot." I nearly scoffed at that statement.

"You go mum; I'll stay here with Zach and then see him when you're done." I explained and then my mum ran out of the room with the doctor to find my dad. Zach and I sat in silence for a moment; I knew he was waiting for me to say something as he silently rubbed circles onto my thigh with his finger, "I'm happy he's not dead." My voice was monotone, "He was planning on leaving next week though- this will slow that down."

"What? How do you know that?"

I never had told Zach what I heard on the phone, because then I would have to voice my theory and I didn't want to because that would kill my mum. "Remember when I said my dad was on the phone and it was weird?" Zach nodded, "Well he was saying that he had to milk this a bit longer and then he would have what he needed and be gone in two weeks- I think he has met someone else because he called them babe."

My voice was weird and rushed and then Zach asked, "I guess you haven't told him you know yet?" I shook my head, "Are you going to?" I nodded, "Look Cammie I know you want to protect your mum, but do you not think you should tell her so she knows? I mean it sounds pretty obvious that he is leaving and I know that is awful and I'm not underplaying it one bit but maybe if you told your mum that and the truth about your dad she would kick him out before he has to chance to get whatever he wants."

"I have thought about doing that, but I want to find out what he wants so I can make sure he doesn't get that. But then he might never leave, he has a pretty good life here. He has a house, no need for a job, gets fed and a woman who would go to the ends of the world for him." I stood up and began pacing back and forth across the waiting room, my hands running through my hair.

I carried on pacing for another ten minutes, Zach sat watching me carefully but I could tell he was getting sleep and then as I was about to tell him to go home my mum had returned from seeing my dad, "He's gone to sleep, he is still pretty tired. He has told me I need to go home but I don't want to leave him on his own."

She looked exhausted, her normally bright eyes were dull and red from crying and her brown hair was falling out of its hair tie. "You go home, get some sleep, have a shower and get some proper food in you. I'll stay here and keep him company in case he wakes up and if anything does happen I'll call you." I turned to face Zach who was rubbing at his eyes tiredly, "You can go too, I'll be fine."

"Cam baby are you sure, I know you aren't yet comfortable with your father?"My mum asked.

"Mum, I'll be fine. As long as you're okay I don't care. You've been here working all day you deserve a break. I'll call you if anything bad happens but nothing will, so I'll see you in the morning love you." I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek and then we said some more goodbyes and then she headed to the carpark. I turned to face Zach, "I'll call you tomorrow."

I walked over to Zach and wrapped my arms around his waist and he spoke, "No, I'm not leaving you here with him." He pulled me away from my shoulders and sat back down.

"Zach please, I'll be fine. I will call you if anything happens- but like I said to my mum nothing is going to happen. Please, I love you but you have to trust me when I say I can handle myself." After I finished Zach stood in front of me and I put my hands on the back of his neck.

His hands found my waist and pulled me so I was against him, "I do trust that you can handle yourself, but I don't want you to have to. You shouldn't have to, especially not around your dad." I hated when Zach spoke like this because it made me think he was right and that I did deserve more because I didn't want to think I did. It was a lot easier to accept what you have then it was to want more.

As I rubbed my thumbs against his jaw line I pulled his face closer to mine and softly pressed my lips against his, "Please if you love me you'd go home and get some sleep, you can come back tomorrow if you want to." I kissed him once again, "And please bring me some proper food, I would kill for a milkshake right now." Zach chuckled and tightened his arms around my waist.

"Okay I'll go home and sleep, I'll bring some change of clothes for you tomorrow and some food."

Once everyone had left I went and sat on the chair in my dad's hospital room, I asked for a spare blanket and placed it over myself and tried to get a nap. I fell asleep about an hour later when it was around four in the morning after staring at my dad wondering what I was going to say to him. Later on I was woken by someone calling my name, when I opened my eyes I was hit by the bright lights of the hospital room and my dad was lying in his hospital bed calling my name.

I sat up and saw he had a soft smile on his lips, his face had a bruise on its jaw and his shoulder looked a bit blue from where his hospital gown had fallen slightly. "Where's your mother?"

Staying in my seat I answered, "I told her to go home and get some rest and some food; she was really worried about you." My dad nodded and took a sip from the glass of water on his bed side table, I watched him carefully not really having anything to small talk about. "Who is she?" I demanded and Matthew returned it with a confused look, "The other woman, I heard you on the phone on Monday."

My dad sat up and kept his expression blank, "I have no idea what you're talking about Cameron, but I would be careful what you say I would hate it if your mother found out the truth about her manipulative bitch of a daughter." His voice was venomous.

I met his gaze and saw the dark anger in them; I stood up and kept my posture stiff. "You can spout all the threats you want Matthew but I know you are hiding something, and I'm pretty positive I know enough to ruin this little life you've made here since your release. In a week you're planning on running off with some whore and I really couldn't care less if you did leave, if anything I'd be happy, but you need something and I'm guessing whatever you do need will involve hurting my mum."

I stepped closer to him and lowered my face so it was in front of his, I knew I must have looked angry because for a moment I saw flash of worry in my dad's eyes, "But here's the thing Matthew I am not going to let you hurt my mother, and I know just how to do that. You are going to leave; I don't care what you tell her as long as you go. But if you think you are going to screw her over like you did a year ago you can think again."

As I stepped back a huge grin spread across his features, leading to confusion etching over my features, "You think you're something don't you? Please get over yourself, I can tell your mother anything and she'll believe me because she worships me." His grin turned into a smirk when he saw my reaction when I realised he was right, I stepped away from him and picked up my stuff that was by the chair.

"If only you were a few seconds slower and you would be lying in the morgue instead of here." I spat out as I slammed the door behind me and headed out of the hospital.

After getting the bus home I was still too angry to go home and talk to anyone so I decided to go to the 24 hour diner that Zach and I went to a few weeks ago- even though I felt like it was years ago. I ordered my usual black coffee and then a plate of waffles since I hadn't eaten for a while. As I slipped into a booth and began eating I heard someone sitting in front of me, I glanced up to see Adam. "What are you doing here?"

He looked a bit of a mess, his eyes were a little wide so I could have guessed he had been at a party but I don't think he was that drunk since the party will have been long gone by now. "I could ask you the same thing." I raised an eyebrow at him, "So your amazing new boyfriend couldn't cure your insomnia, here's me thinking he could do anything."

His voice was filled with spite and anger, "Who pissed in your cornflakes?" I snapped back in response not really appreciating how he was talking to me.

"No one, I just don't know what you see in him. It wasn't that long ago I was comforting you after that party." His voice was still the same but his face had softened slightly, "Why did you have to date him Cam, you could have dated anyone but you picked him?"

Now I was really confused, "This isn't going to turn into some stupid teen movie where you announce you're in love with me or something is it? Because I really can't be dealing with that drama right now." I asked my voice sounding completely exhausted.

Adam smirked, "Still as blunt as ever Cam, but no it isn't. Like I've said before you're still the girl I threw up on while trying to cop a field, our relationship is strictly platonic. I just think you deserve better that's all, he's not as nice of a guy as he may seem."

Now I was just angry, "What? Zach's great, he had been nothing but amazing to me."

Leaning back into his booth a bit more Adam thanked the waiter for his coffee before answering me, "To you yes, but it's what he has said behind your back that makes him a jerk." _What the hell?_ Picking up on my confusion Adam carried on, "Talk to him, it might shed some light on the situation. And before you ask no I am not telling you, you deserve to hear it from the horse's mouth."

Then he took his take out coffee and left while I sat wondering what the hell he was talking about.

 **Bit of a shorter chapter than the last few but hope you still liked it. I don't know if I managed to get down what I wanted when Cammie was talking to her dad so sorry if it wasn't that good.**

 **What do you think Adam is talking about? Also there might be a Zach POV as I previously mentioned but if there is it won't be for a for a bit, but you may not like the circumstance of it- muhaha ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Proof read.**_

It was the next day and I had returned to the hospital but just went to the relative's room as I didn't want my mum thinking I had let her down on her promise of staying at the hospital. At some point I must have passed out and was woken up by my phone ringing, it was Zach so I chose to ignore it. Adam's words were still floating around, what has Zach been saying? Or was Adam just trying to stir something up, he has a tendency of making something out of nothing. But this felt different; he really seemed to be telling the truth.

Glancing at the clock on the wall I saw it was half past nine, just as I was about to call my mum one of her work friends walked in, "Morning sweetie, we didn't want to wake you because you seemed pretty exhausted last night. Your mum is with your dad now, would you like anything?" Her name was Sandra and she was in her forties but she was aging gracefully. The roots of her black hair was still dark as it rested on her head in thick gorgeous curls and her dark skin was still wrinkle free and no signs of aging.

As I sat up I ran my hand across my face, "I would love a coffee please, if it isn't too much."

Her lips turned into a kind smile that you couldn't help but reciprocate, "No problem, do you want us to call that handsome young man from yesterday to come and keep you company?" She winked at me teasingly.

My whole body became rigid, "No its okay, I'll call someone else he needs to rest." Then she went and got me a coffee and I then pulled out my phone to call Bex. She answered on the third ring, "Morning."

I heard her groan in frustration, "You better have a good reason to be waking me up before ten on a Saturday morning Morgan." Her British accent was thick and I smiled at the familiarity of it.

"I'm at the hospital," I heard her begin to panic over the phone so I quickly mended my mistake, "My dad's in the hospital, I am at the hospital. I was wondering if you could come, or I could meet you I just really need to talk to you." Sensing my defeated tone Bex quickly agreed to meet me at the hospital, when Sandra returned I explained to her that a friend would be coming and she said she'd inform the receptionist to let her straight through.

About fifteen minutes later Bex appeared looking a bit breathless but still flawless, "Oh god Cammie are you okay?"

She wrapped her arms around my neck in a hug and when I would usually pull away I just fell into her as I gripped onto her forearms and all the exhaustion from last night just fall out of me as I sobbed onto her shoulder. "I don't know what to do."

Bex held onto me as a cried for another few minutes and then when I had calmed down she guided me to the chairs and sat me down and she sat down next to me and took hold of my hand giving me a tight squeeze. "Tell me everything that's happened."

So I did, I told her about hearing the phone conversation and then how and why my dad was in hospital and then about what Adam told me, "What do you think he is talking about? Is Zach a bad guy?" I asked meeting her eyes.

Bex was silent for a second, "I don't know you're really going to have to ask him what he has to say about Adam's statement. But let me tell you something Cammie that boy is in love with you, and has been for a while it's just took him some time to realise it. The way he used to look at you in the corridor or at lunch, and how his eyes would light up when you'd go into your little rants about stuff no one really knew anything about.

"He worships the ground you walk on and the way he talks about you and how he treats you shows that. But if he has said something or done something you need to find out what it is, because love is absolutely amazing and it can be earth shattering but nothing will hurt more than being blinded by it."

I nodded and then decided I would stay here until my mum came to find me and then try and find Zach, Bex sat with me the whole time telling me about some stuff that had happened during the training sessions I'd missed. We spoke about technique and stuff we would need to perfect by the time the competition did come around next Saturday. About an hour later I had three missed calls from Zach to which I just responded with a text telling him I was fine and Bex was here so there was no need for him to be too.

I felt kind of bad for just freezing him out but I didn't know what to do yet, I had too many things going on and the annoying thing was all I could think about was having him next to me to calm me down.

Sandra appeared a bit later saying that my mum wanted me to come and see my dad so I did, Bex then left after a lot of persuading and I now was walking towards my dad's room. I opened the door to see both my parents talking with wide grins on their faces, "How are you feeling?" I asked as I stood at the end of the bed.

My dad met my eyes and they were happy and pleasant but I saw the underlying glimmer of him daring me to out his dirty secret, "I'm feeling great, they say I should be out by tomorrow which is amazing. And they're letting your mum stay off for a few days to look after me and make sure I keep my stitching clean and don't strain myself."

Faking a smile I responded, "That's great news; we'll have to do something to celebrate."

I didn't really want to celebrate my dad coming home but I only said it because then I knew my mum would go into major party planning mode and then I could fade into the background for a bit and think. After about five minutes I decided I needed to find Zach, "Hey mum would it be okay if I go home and shower? I haven't been home yet."

With a wide grin she replied, "Yeah of course sweetie, there is no need for both of us to be here. You go home and I'll call you later when visiting hours finish and we'll get a takeaway or something." I nodded and then gave my dad a stiff uncomfortable hug and then left.

After showering and changing into a pair of black denim shorts and then an old Led Zeppelin shirt and grabbed my bag and decided to head over to Zach's. I knocked on the door and Dean opened up, "Hey Cammie didn't expect to see you today Zach said you were at the hospital with your dad."

"Yeah but I wasn't needed and I wanted to see Zach, is he here?"

Dean stepped to the side, "Upstairs in his room," I walked in, "Cool shirt." I nodded and thanked him and began heading towards where I remembered Zach's room to be. I knocked on the door and entered to find him sitting at his desk on his laptop typing up some essay or something.

"I told you Dean I don't want to play video games with you, I can only loose so many times before I get bored of it." I chuckled softly at Zach's irritated tone but then Adam's words of him not being good at everything came back. Sensing it wasn't Dean he turned around and his face split into a grin, "Cammie, I thought you were at the hospital. Is everything okay?"

He was in front of me with his hands on my shoulders panic across his face, "Yeah I just needed to see you, well talk to you."

"That doesn't sound good, are you breaking up with me?" He asked with a smirk as he sat back down on his chair and I sat on his bed facing him so our knees touched, when I didn't reply he panicked again, "Shit you are aren't you?"

Smiling I shook my head, "No I'm not here to end it, I love you. But I do need to talk to you about something. Last night I left the hospital to go and get some food and coffee because I got into an argument with my dad," Zach stiffened, "I'm fine though I'll tell you about that in a bit. Anyway when I was at the diner Adam was there and he sat with me.

"He started saying that he didn't understand why I chose to date you, I asked why and he said you weren't as nice as you pretend to be. That you have been saying or doing something behind my back and it makes you a jerk, what's he talking about?" I didn't realise it but my voice had slowly got faster and faster as panic set in and my eyes rimmed with tears as the anxiety of what Zach might say got a bit too much.

God I really was an emotional wreck today.

Zach was silent for a second and he seemed to be thinking, he reached out and placed his hands on my knees which made me tense. Feeling me become stiff under his touch Zach frowned and pulled his hand away, "I don't know what he's talking about." Lies, I knew he was lying because his eyes wouldn't meet mine and his voice was off. I stared at his wandering eyes for a moment longer to see if he would meet mine but he didn't.

Standing up from his bed I grabbed my bag from my feet and headed to the door, "This isn't going to work if you lie to me."

Zach ran after me and with a hold on my wrist pulled me to face him, his face filled with panic and fear, "Where are you going? Stay we can hang out, watch a movie do anything but please don't leave me." His voice was so desperate and I felt my eyes rim with tears as his did too.

"I can't." My voice was thick with tears that hadn't yet fallen; it was barely above a whisper.

He placed both of his hands on my cheeks making my eyes become slightly hooded from his touch, _it was still calming me_ , "I thought you loved me." He whispered, his breath making my wet lips tingle from where I licked them.

"I do, that's why I can't stay and have you lie to me." My hands were gripping onto his wrists as silent tears fell.

I tried to pull his hands away but they were stronger than I could ever be in this moment, "Why does this feel like you're breaking up with me?" I met his eyes to see that the crack in his voice was because of the tear falling down his cheek. Reaching up I wiped it away not having anything else to say. "Please don't go I love you."

"Then tell me what Adam meant." I pleaded my walls were down as I let tears freely fall and my composure shatter with each one.

He met my eyes, "I can't, because you'll hate me."

Then with that I let go of his wrists and his hands fell from my face weakly to his side and I left the room and Zach. As I ran down the stairs Dean rushed from the kitchen probably to see the commotion and he stopped dead when he saw a tear stained me standing at the bottom of the stairs, "What's happened? Are you okay?"

I smiled weakly at how much he seemed to care, "I'm fine." Quickly I wiped my cheeks feeling my mascara come off on my fingers.

"Has Zach hurt you?"

I felt as though I was being suffocated, I heard a loud thud come from Zach's room and I saw the confusion on Dean's features, "Its nothing, see you." Then I ran out of the house in a full sprint slamming the door shut behind me.

Even though I wasn't really in the right clothes to go for a run I just carried on running, I needed to get to my special place, I ran down the high street ignoring the looks from people as they watched a tear stained teen race by. My feet were hurting from just having a pair on converse on and my hair was wiping against my cheeks, my bag smacking against my bare legs.

When I reached the end of the street I turned left towards the forest until about five minutes later I reached an opening, it led to nothing picturesque or tranquil. It was just a large stone that stood in the mud area that was surrounded by trees and bushes so no one could really see it, I used to hide in here when I was younger and me and the gang would play hide and seek.

Sitting on it I crossed my legs and held onto my shins as I stared at the dirt. _What the hell did Adam mean?_ I began picturing the whole conversation with Zach and seeing if maybe he didn't look like he was lying, but I could still see the few signs that hinted that he was. Knowing the only way I would be able to get an answer would be through Adam I phoned him but he gave me the same crap than last night about the stupid horse's mouth, so I decided to phone the closest person Zach has to a second brother- Grant.

After about four rings he answered, "Sup' Camster, I heard about your dad how are you holding up?"

I couldn't suppress a grin from the stupid nickname he insisted on giving me, "He's okay, should be home in the next couple of days. But I was actually calling about Zach; I need to ask you something."

"Sounds interesting, is he in the dog house?"

"Kind of I guess, we may have broken up." That was the first time I had said it aloud and I felt my heart clench in my chest.

"Shit what did he do?" I couldn't help but smile at the shocked tone- I guess it wasn't only Bex who noticed how he looked at me with love.

Sighing I delved into the story about Adam and then today with Zach. Once I was finished Grant spoke, "I think I know what Adam is talking about, but you really need Zach to tell you about it." I groaned down the phone in annoyance, "Okay I'll give you a hint, it might jog your memory because you were both _pretty_ wasted this night. It was about three weeks before you two first kissed at that frat house party we decided to crash- you know one of Nick's friends?

"Well yeah anyway you two were hammered, and I literally mean couldn't walk for shit, you must have pissed Zach off somehow and he started getting really angry and saying some pretty harsh things- you saw it all but then you passed out so we all left and it was never mentioned again so we all just thought you either solved it or forgot about it."

As Grant spoke I tried to jog my memory and then it came back, "He called me a slut with daddy issues." I whispered as the whole night flooded into my memory.

I heard Grant cough awkwardly, "Look Cammie he didn't mean it, please don't hold this against him. You know how smashed you were that night, he was just the same."

"It's fine, I'll see you on Monday Grant." Then I ended the call and stared at the dirt as anger boiled away in my veins as I thought about that night.

 _Flashback (Two months ago)_

 _"Come on it will be fun! Do you realise how cool it is that we were invited to a college frat party? We're only juniors, it's going to be epic please come!" Nick was begging us to all go to this frat party one of his brother's mates were throwing, everyone was pretty unsure about it but I was in the mood to party. Since I didn't sleep much alcohol was a great way for me to block of my dad using me as a punching bag._

 _Standing up so I was next to Nick as he faced us sitting at Macey's kitchen table, "I'm in, sounds like fun."_

 _Nick threw his arm over my shoulder, "I knew my little party girl wouldn't let me down, so who else? You can't leave only us two to go, we need to be in at least a group of four to keep an eye on each other." I looked across the group as they thought and my eyes landed on Zach's he was watching Nick's hand grip onto my arm and I could see tension building in his muscles until eventually he stood up and joined where Nick and I standing._

 _"I'm in, can't let these two loose at a frat party on their own."_

 _Two hours later, about nine at night, we were all walking up to the very messy frat house. You know in those cheesy American films where the house parties look really over the top? Yeah well apparently they are over the top for high school parties but not so much college frat house parties. I changed into a black tube skirt that ended comfortably mid-thigh and had a white top tucked into it that hung loosely on my shoulders. None of us girls had heels on since they weren't really our thing for just going to a party so I just had on some black hi top converse on._

 _Once we got inside the house smelt a bit of sick and beer but most our senses were overpowered by the screaming of people dancing or playing stupid games. Instantly Bex and Macey pulled me onto the dance floor and we started dancing while the boys explored the house, after about two songs Grant and Nick reappeared and were dancing with their girls so I started to leave._

 _Heading to the kitchen for a drink I felt some boys watch me but it didn't bother me too much, I had the boys to help me out if I needed it. As I grabbed a can of beer Zach appeared next to me with a sloppy grin, "Having fun Goode?" I asked making his eyes move from glaring at the boys I just past to softening when they met mine._

 _He just nodded and lazily slung his arm over my shoulders, "Come on Cam, you have some catching up to do." He motioned at my drink and I took a sip of the cold beer. "I'm in the mood to do something crazy tonight."_

 _I laughed at the seriousness of Zach's tone; he was always a lot more confident to talk to people when he had drunk something. We didn't really talk much about deep things, but we have had a few discussions at parties when everyone else in the gang had gone to find a place to have some 'alone' time. "What did you have in mind?"_

 _I carried on taking sips of my beer as I leaned my hip against the counter top and he stood in front of me, holding onto it to steady his slightly shaky legs, "Remember a while ago when we kissed?" I nodded smirking, it was one hell of a kiss, "We should do that again."_

 _I nearly chocked on my drink, "I don't think so buddy, I have a feeling it wouldn't end well." He frowned slightly, "Anyway I'm not here to get off with someone tonight, so let's go and just have some fun_ _ **dancing**_ _instead."_

 _Nodding Zach took my hand and we started dancing to the music, I kept drinking my beer as we acted like complete idiots doing moves that were just embarrassing and not one bit attractive to look at. About half an hour later I had finished two beers and was getting the buzz from alcohol, this part of drunkenness was fun because you felt like everything you did was a great idea even if it was as simple as eating a grape._

 _"Want to go and do some shots?" Zach asked over the music putting his mouth to my ear._

 _"Why are you so determined to get smashed tonight?" I raised an eyebrow, he was still at the state he was when he approached me in the kitchen but I could tell something was bugging him that he wanted to drink away._

 _"I just do, it's been a rough week now come on." I didn't have much chance to argue before he pulled me into the kitchen and grabbed a half empty bottle of tequila, a lemon, and salt. He poured some of the spirit into our cups and then cut the lemon and sprinkled the salt on his hand and then I did the same. "Ready?" I nodded and then we did the shot, salt and lemon._

 _About three shots later we were a little bit of a mess, "Right this time I'm going to put the lemon in my mouth and you have to take it out of it." I stated my words slightly slurred as Zach poured some more shots._

 _He agreed and then took the shot, licked the salt and then put his mouth on mine and took the lemon. But then instead of sucking it he spat it onto the table and pressed his lips back onto mine, I was stiff at first but then grabbed the back of his neck with my hand and pulled him closer. The kiss only lasted for about ten, maybe fifteen, seconds but it was making my toes and fingers curl. I pulled away, "We probably shouldn't have done that, I didn't want to do that tonight." I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, "I'm done being that girl, sorry." Then I stood up and left Zach alone._

 _I decided to try and find Bex or Macey and found them both dancing so I grabbed a beer wanting the taste of tequila slammers to leave my mouth and joined them dancing. I knew I was a mess and wouldn't remember anything but I didn't care, hopefully I would then forget about how sensational Zach was to kiss. It was around two in the morning and the girls and I decided to try and find the boys to start the walk back to Macey's empty house._

 _We found them in the garden and I was struggling to walk slightly but we were all laughing and Bex held me up, when we got there Grant had his hand on Zach's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down by the looks of things. His face was red with anger and his eyes were nearly black._

 _"Dude calm down, what's wrong you were fine when I saw you with Cammie earlier?" Grant asked and then when he said my name Zach shoved him away._

 _"Don't talk about that, that… slut! She goes around with guys who don't even care about her ever since her dad got locked up without a care in the world, and then the minute someone who genuinely cares about shows that they do she shuts down. I don't get it, I like her man! I lot more than I should, but since I'm not only after her bloody body she wants nothing to do with me!_

 _"I'm sick of her, and her daddy issues. She needs to get over it- he's in jail so what?" When he finished his rant everyone turned to look at me, including people I don't even know, and I felt like screaming. But before I could even react my drink caught up with me making me throw up and then along with a messy head from drinking and a hammering heart I became sleepy until I then passed out._

 **Please don't hate me, I know I've made Zach a massive jerk and it may be over the top but hey it's all in the name of drama. I'm going away tomorrow pretty early on, but I will try and write something tonight but I make no promises that you'll have an update. So if I don't manage to update, you won't hear from me for two weeks sorry.**

 **Comment what you think and want to happen between Cammie and Zach, and also with her parents. Hopefully there will still be a few chapters left in this story if it goes to plan but sometimes I just write stuff that I didn't even plan to.**


	15. Chapter 15

It was the first day back to school after Zach and I had our argument at his place, he had called and text but I just kept ignoring them. I couldn't do this, I had to come to terms with what he had said and although it may be selfish the only way I could do that was freeze him out. It also helped a hell of a lot that I was still raging at the thought of him.

I had spent Sunday night at Macey's after them finding me in a wallow of self-pity in my room on Sunday morning so I had filled them all in and asked why they didn't tell me. Apparently everyone thought it was best not too. It's very comforting to know that all of your friends think you're a loose cannon ready to go at any point. So as we pulled into school on Monday morning I was still a little mad at them but when I saw Zach standing at the entrance and begin to advance towards me when he saw me I was happy for my girls' presence.

His face was etched with pain and his eyes reflected mine in the sense they had large bags underneath, his eyes were rimmed with redness showing he had been crying. My heart almost clenched at the thought, _almost_ being the key word. His fingers wrapped around my arm as he approached me but my stiffness made him let go, "Please Cammie talk to me, I can explain. Please give me that."

He was begging and although that should have filled me with some sort of selfish happiness it didn't, I couldn't feel anything at the moment. "Leave me alone Zach, if I want to talk to you I'll find you but I really don't think there's anything else left to talk about or explain. It seems you made your thoughts about me pretty clear months ago."

I stared directly at him and saw his eyes search mine, he was looking for something other than blankness but I couldn't give him it because Lord knows I am a lost cause to his touch. "Zach just give her space." Macey said and then Zach seemed to break from a trance and nodded before stepping out of the way allowing us to walk into the school.

When we walked in Macey wrapped her arms around my shoulders, "We've got your back Cammie." I stiffened under her touch and she slowly recoiled, "How long will it take for you to forgive us Cammie, we've told you a million times how sorry we are. Please." I was getting sick of everyone begging for forgiveness today and it wasn't even nine o'clock.

Sighing I responded, "I know you're sorry, I forgive you- kind of. It's just going to take a bit to trust you again." The girls nodded and then we went to our own lockers and then to our separate home room's.

I was currently walking to lunch late after being held back for _another_ late chemistry assignment when someone grabbed my wrist and attempted to pull me into an empty classroom. But the familiarity of the touch made me stand my ground and with a strong voice demanded, "Let me go Zach." I met his depressed gaze head on with a glare and saw him slightly flinch at the intensity of it.

Snatching my wrist from his hand I took a step away from him but he quickly caught up with me, "Please Cammie talk to me, you have to."

I stopped dead in my tracks and whirled around to see him looking desperate, "I don't have to do anything, especially where you're concerned."

"We can't just leave it like this, I understand what I said was wrong but it was before we were together and I was angry that you kept going for the wrong guys. I was crazy for you and after that kiss I was feeling stuff I shouldn't be feeling for a friend so I drank to try and forget the feeling of it but then I saw you with that guy and I couldn't. I know how stupid it sounds and how much of a dick I am but please it was a jealous drunken rage, you have to understand that."

His eyes met mine and I wanted to run into his arms and breathe in his scent, but I couldn't. "You wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it. I could have taken the slut comment but the daddy issues, it makes me feel sick at the thought of you saying something like that, I loved you. _Still do actually._ " I added softly.

"So why don't we make this work? I can make you forgive me, I didn't mean it please." He gripped my wrists and held them to his chest pulling me against him as his eyes searched my face before ended on my eyes.

"Loving you is the problem, if I didn't it wouldn't feel like someone has ripped my heart out." We were silent for a moment my breathes coming out fast and mingling with his from how close our faces were, stepping back I took a deep breath and continued. "Look I will probably forgive you for saying those things, but you still lied to me. No lies, I thought that was the unwritten rule with us?" I was still breathing heavily from the adrenaline that was going through me.

"No more lies." He pleaded stepping closer which resulted in me stepping backwards, "But what about your dad, I'm the only one who knows."

"If I really need your help I'll call you, but I won't. It's getting handled." I snapped and yanked my wrists from his fists.

"How? Don't do anything stupid Cam, if he hurts you." Zach mumbled.

Sighing I ran my hands through my hair, "He's on bed rest, I have a plan and it's already in motion so just leave me alone. If I really need you I'll call you, but don't keep checking because it isn't likely to come." Then with that I left him forgetting about lunch and just going to the field where the girls were sitting.

This process of ignoring Zach's attempts to talk to me went on for the next few days, it was now Wednesday and I had just part taken in my after school detention and had just had a meeting with Coach about the competition on Friday. Luckily after evaluating me this morning in training I am still able to compete, so at least some good stuff were coming my way again. As I was heading out of the now empty school I saw Zach standing at the school gates. I tried to turn back around and go the back way but his eyes caught mine and he charged towards me.

Holding my hands up he stopped as I backed away, "Look Zach please not now, I really have to be somewhere right now." I tried to step around him but he grabbed my wrist, "I'm begging you I have to be somewhere to meet someone. If you let me go without an argument I'll call you tonight."

Maybe he saw my eyes and how desperate I was to be somewhere which made him apprehensive, or maybe it was how my voice cracked as I spoke. Or maybe it was because he still loved me and he _just_ knew something wasn't right. "No. Tell me who you are meeting?"

Meeting his gaze, "It is better if you stay out of this, please."

Zach's grip on my wrist softened and he allowed my arm to return to my side but his fingers still brushed the skin lightly- letting me know he was still there. I made no advancements to leave him, his grip wasn't stopping me, and I looked up at him to see him giving me _that_ look. The look that made me feel as though I was the only thing worth looking at. "Is it about your dad, part of this plan you've made?"

I just nodded my tongue feeling as though it was too big for my mouth as I stared into his green eyes, "Let me come." He pleaded. But then I remembered that night and what he said and I snapped my wrist back as if he burned me and his eyes darkened in frustration, "Cammie please don't do this."

Stiffening my stance I stared at him and pointed, "No Zach you shouldn't do this, you hurt me. You were supposed to be the one person, _one person,_ who would never hurt me. I was meant to trust you, I did trust you. Hell I trusted you before we were even together, all it took was you to clean up some blood and I was putty in your hands." My voice was raised and thick with angry tears, but I wasn't going to cry. So I exhaled to calm myself down and closed my eyes to stop the tears forming, I met his gaze again. "Leave me alone."

I left Zach and headed back home. My dad was sitting in the living room basking in the joy of my mum doting on his hand and feet, he was fully recovered but my mum still treated as if he had just survived near death. "How was school sweetie?" My mum shouted as she opened a packet of salt and vinegar crisps for my dad as he channel surfed.

I hadn't been alone with my dad since the hospital room, I've either been out or my mum's been here so I've just been getting sly smirks and daring glares. Not really wanting to hang around for small talk I just headed to the kitchen to grab my mum's car keys, "Yeah it was fine. Is it ok if I borrow the car for a few hours?"

I leaned into the living room dangling the keys from my fingers and my mum turned to face me, "No problem baby, are you going somewhere with Zach?" She smiled knowingly wiggling her eye brows; I hadn't yet told her about Zach and didn't really plan on it. Hopefully she would just figure it out herself- yet I did need an excuse for where I was going because the plan wouldn't really work if they knew.

So I lighting groaned and ignored my dad's annoyed glare, "Yeah we're driving down to the beach, I didn't fancy the motor bike and his brother's using the car for work. Don't wait up." My mum laughed at the fake suggestiveness of my tone and I smiled at her. It was a real smile but not because I found my comment funny but because she hadn't done that in a while.

Jumping into the car I went to meet the person.

Let me fill you in with the plan, on Sunday when my dad did still need bed rest I offered to sort his stuff out from the hospital. Which meant I got his phone. So I went on it to try and find out who he was talking to, to find an array of texts with another woman about how much he still loved her after jail and how they would be together soon. Typical fairy-tale bullshit.

After a bit more digging I found out what my dad needed in order to start his knew life with _Sally_ \- two thousand pounds. Now where does an ex-convict get such amounts of money? Dipping into the saving account his wife's late father set up for his granddaughter for when she turned eighteen. Classy I know.

So biting the bullet I noted down Sally's number and put it into my phone, then later on I called her explaining I wished to meet her regarding my father. I didn't want to tell her I was his daughter so I just said I was someone who knew about their plan and wanted to pass a message on while he was still recovering. Hence why I am now sitting outside a café an hour out of town, their usual meeting spot, to go and meet Sally. I looked at her contact icon on my dad's phone so I would know what she looked like and spotted the flaming red head sitting at a booth by the window.

Walking into the café I walked over to her and sat in front, "Sally." I greeted, her brown eyes met mine. She was a very pretty woman, she wasn't the young top heavy blonde you'd want your father to have an affair with. She looked kind, so it made it kind of hard to instantly hate her.

"Did Matthew send you?" Her voice had a New York City accent to it; I just nodded in response my mind going haywire. "Is he ok? Recovering well?"Her voice was thick with concern and her eyes scanned my face to try and see if I was hear to deliver bad news.

Meeting her gaze I inhaled and began to ask the questions that were burning away, "Do you love Matthew?" She looked confused but nodded her eyes never wavering from mine meaning I could see the intense honesty in them, "Even though he went to prison for assault?"

Sally looked confused and rung her fingers together, "Of course, he did that for me. The guy was flirting with me and it had advanced from meaningless glances to him grabbing my thigh as I sat at the bar while Matthew went to the toilet. It wasn't the best way to handle the situation- I'll give him that- but that's one of the things I love about him."

Glaring at her I mumbled, "The fact he beats guys to near death?"

She laughed softly, "No not that, that kind of scares me, how he never does anything in halves. He is all in or nothing, he is so passionate about everything he does. Although it can get him into a lot of trouble." I scoffed at her slightly, she thought he was all in? Did she have any idea that he had a wife and kid? Her nude coloured lips turned into a small frown as she looked at me oddly, "Is this was Matthew wanted? You to come and interrogate my loyalty to him, I understand we have to wait a bit before we can leave his wife. I get that, I can wait for as long it takes for him to get better." She sounded desperate and she clung to the table as she leaned closer to me.

My jaw dropped to the table and after a minute I managed to , "Y-you know about his wife?" She nodded, "Do you not feel guilty for doing this to her?"My voice cracked slightly and Sally looked at me oddly probably wondering why I was so emotional over his wife.

Her face changed slightly and she ran her long slender fingers through her red bob, "Don't give me that look." Her gaze was on the table and her lips turned into a soft smile that reminded me of Bex whenever she spoke of Grant, "I know its wrong but _god_ it feels so right. He just makes me forget about everything, have you even been in love?" It was kind of a rhetorical questions because she didn't really give me time to answer before she was talking again, "It makes your mind go haywire but in a really good way, you start thinking the world is going to end when you haven't touched them in a while and your chest tightens at the sight of them and it makes you think you could die in that very moment but at the same time that you could do just about anything."

As if she was just remembering I was here she jumped a bit when I spoke again, "I'm his daughter," Guilt washed over her face but I held my hands up, "I'm not here to have a go at you and tell you not to run away with my dad because believe me I want him gone. I'm here to ask you to tell him to forget about the money, he is planning on using the money my mother's father left. You can still run off into your sunset together for all I care but please don't make it any more painful for my mother, she doesn't deserve it because she's just as infatuated by him than you so you can imagine how much it will hurt when he leaves."

Sally sat for a moment her eyes calculating as she took in my words, "You're very mature, how old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"You seem to be a lot older. Honestly I had no idea that's how he was getting the money, but I'll try my best to tell him not to. I'll leave this meeting out of it too."

I nodded and then stood up from the booth and then at the edge of the table, "Have a good life Sally, and I mean this in the sweetest way possible when I say I hope to never have to see you again." Then without giving her a second glance I left the cafe and went into my car.

As i was about to put in the keys into the ignition my phone vibrated and I picked it up to see I had a text from my father:

 _Heard you've met Sally._

 _Stay out of my business Cammie because I won't hesitate to hurt the people **you** love._

 _-M_

My hands began to tremble and my heart hammered against my chest and I looked up to see the booth Sally was sitting in now empty, I begun to scroll through my phone to the end of my contact list and then clicked Zach's name and just when I was about to call him I turned my phone off. I couldn't call him because I'd just run back into his arms and if my dad's threat was anything like his other's it was more of a promise. So the only way to stop my dad hurting anyone was to distance myself from them. My dad's typed words flashed across my eyes as I squeezed them shut as I tried to clam my breathing but it wasn't working the only thing I wanted was something to anchor me- or someone. So I did the second best thing.

Ran.

 **I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Sorry for not uploading for ages I was away and then our wifi has been broken ever since we got back so it couldn't really be helped.**

 **Please review and say what you want to happen next- Zammie will be apart for a bit longer but I have quite an emotional reunion planned )**


	16. Chapter 16 (Zach POV)

**Zach POV**

It was the early hours of Thursday morning when I heard my phone vibrate against my bedside table as someone attempted to call me, groaning I reached out and hit the lock button ending the phone call. Not even ten seconds had passed before it rung again, sensing it wasn't just a group of freshman girls giggling at the other end after finding out they got a 'hot senior's' number I picked up.

Before I even had the chance to speak Bex's voice boomed through the speaker, "Where is she? Zach don't play around just tell me where she is!"

Sitting up I felt the uneasiness in my stomach grow as I gripped my blanket in a fist around my waist, "Whoa calm down Bex and tell me what you're talking about, who is apparently with me?"

I heard her take a deep breath to probably calm down her rage and the familiar mutterings of Grant could be softly heard, "Cammie. Is Cammie with you?" That was all it took, my world spun on its axis and the air was physically taken out of me as I flipped my legs off my bed and hunched over. Struggling to catch my breath as images of Cammie's bruised neck and her father's dark eyes as he hugged her in her kitchen filled my brain. "ZACH!"

Bex's scream broke me from my trance, "No she isn't, I haven't seen her since the end of her detention." _When she ran off to carry out her plan_ , I thought. Something had gone wrong, it must have. Cammie wouldn't just disappear; she has too much here to leave behind. Her mother would crumble without her and the gang would fall to pieces.

"Why were you there? What did you say to her?" Bex's tone was accusing and I heard Grant try and tell her to calm down.

I was now holding my phone between my ear and shoulder as I pulled on a pair of sweats and some trainers, "Nothing to make her run off, I just tried to talk to her." I know it would be easier to tell her the truth, but I needed Cammie on my side and she sure as hell wouldn't be if I told Bex about how she has been conjuring up a top secret plan regarding her dad's secret phone calls.

"Well something must have happened because she hasn't been seen since, she went home and told her mum she was going out with you."

Picking up my brother's car keys I left the house, "Are you at Cammie's," Bex mumbled a response telling me she was, "Right I'm coming there now where we can talk about this properly, but I'll stop off at some places she might be on the way." Just as I was about to get into the car I had to ask the question that was niggling away, "Uh Bex is her dad there?"

"Yeah he is, why?"

Releasing a soft sigh of relief, "No reason, I'll let you know if I find her. Bye." Then I ended the call and begun the search for Cammie.

I thought back to the place she took me to during one of your late night dates; it was a rock area in the woods that she liked because it wasn't your stereotypical happy place. Which made me laugh at how she even over thought her happy place. I headed to the woods but made sure I drove past the coast on the way to see if she was there- sadly she wasn't. The closer I got to the location the more my palms got clammy and my knuckles white as I gripped the steering wheel harder.

Turning into the dirt road I ran out of the car and towards the rock, I pushed past the leaves to find the girl in question sitting on the dirt with her back to the rock and her knees pushed up to her chest. Quickly I sent a quick text to Bex letting her know I had found her and then carefully approached her, "Cam?"

She stiffened and tilted her head so she could see me, "What do you want?" She snapped her voice laced with venom but I could hear the grogginess in her voice.

Her lips and nose were red and her eyes were puffy from crying, she looked pale from the chill in the air. "Everyone is looking for you, they're worried sick." Carefully I sat down next to her but kept a good distance not wanting to start another argument, and she also looked like she was on the verge of breaking. "Where did you go?"

She was silent for a moment and I knew she was weighing up the pros and cons on whether or not to lie or not, her body was still tight and curled up and she shook slightly from the cold air. Slipping off my hoodie I handed it to her and her eyes met mine and they were filled with so much sadness my breath hitched in my throat. "Sally." I gave her a confused look as she slipped her arms into the sleeves and zipped it up bringing the fabric up to her nose where she breathed in the smell. Just like she always did when she wore my clothes.

She was silent for a moment longer and then roughly ran her hands across her face before pushing her hair back, "She's the _other woman_. I got her number from my dad's phone and met up with her, I wanted to ask her to not leave us with no money and she agreed but then ran straight to my dad and told him. Now he's… It doesn't matter I can handle him for a few more days. He'll be gone by next week." Her tone was dismissive and I knew she wanted me to drop it and not talk about.

"Your dad knows you went behind his back? Cammie do you have a fucking death wish?" I was whispering to her as if her father would appear out of nowhere and hear, she winced at the sharpness of my tone but when I outstretched my hand to comfort her she recoiled back into herself.

"It's fine. I'll be fine, I always am." Her voice was so distant, and I could hear the doubt in it. There is only so much someone can take, and I have a feeling Cammie was on her last thread.

We were silent for a bit afterwards apart from her mumbling about how she had to protect her mother, slowly I crept closer to her until our shoulders were flush against one another. Softly she leaned onto me until her head was on my shoulder, "I haven't forgiven you Zach, but I just need someone at the moment." Her eyes were trained in the distance and no matter how hard I wanted to just grab her now and run I didn't. Instead I lay stiff as the familiar soapy smell filled my nose.

After about fifteen minutes I figured it was probably time to get home, "Where's your car Cam?"

Lifting her head off my shoulder she looked at me and her eyes were rimmed red from where she had been refusing to let tears fall, "I parked it in the town centre car park, I wanted to run for a bit."

"Do you want me to drive you back?" The minute the words left my mouth I wished I could take them back because her body stiffened and she was standing away from me looking at me with a look I couldn't pin point. Her eyes skirted across me before meeting my eyes and they were filled with confliction, "What's wrong?"

Her stance was strong as she spoke, "You. I don't forgive you, you hurt me. Now I want you to leave me alone, tonight never happened okay? You don't talk to me at school and you don't try and call me. Forget the last few months happened there was never an _us_. It never happened." She sounded robotic as if she had rehearsed this a million times over, the emphasis of words too exact and meaningless.

I was now standing with her my hands on her shoulders, "What are you talking about? I love you and you said you still do." Her eyes were now anywhere but mine, they were just staring at my chest, "Cammie, please don't do this." I was met by silence and the anger was filling me, I was furious at her for this mood swing. "You can't do this; you can't pretend it never happened." My voice was raised but she still wasn't looking at me, "LOOK AT ME GOD DAMMIT!"

Her eyes met mine as she flinched and they were empty, "I lied." I was breathing heavy from shouting but I still managed to give her a confused look, "I don't love you anymore, you ruined any chance of me loving you long term when you lied to me. Now leave me alone."

I felt my world tilt, her voice was so empty and she looked beyond defeated. "Tell me please; tell me why you're doing this. Is it your dad?" She stood still as I stepped closer to her until I rested both of my hands on her face, my fingers curling around her neck and caressing my thumbs over her high cheekbones.

My throat was thick with tears and she was becoming a blur in front of my from them filling my eyes, blinking a few of them began to fall. Resting my forehead on hers my voice came out as a whisper, "I can't lose you." I felt her stiffen slightly, but she didn't move. Her breathing remained fairly normal but I did notice when it hitched slightly at our proximity.

Tilting her head back Cammie looked at me, her brown eyes glistening slightly as she looked at me through her thick lashes. She didn't step away from me letting my hands hold her close and my fingers grace her soft skin. Lifting her hands up she brushed away the wetness from my cheeks, "You're making it very hard for me to leave."

I chuckled softly at her attempt to joke, but her voice was hoarse too, "Then don't. I'll protect you from him and whatever he has over you."

Cammie placed her hands on my shoulders her fingers curling the long hair on the dark of my head, "You don't get it yet do you? I'm not trying to protect myself I'm trying to protect you. I need to distance myself from you before he hurts you too because otherwise keeping his dirty little secret for years will have been for nothing."

Her breathes became more laboured as she spoke and my wandering hands moved from her neck, down her sides, across her back until they ended on her hips. "Talk to me Cammie, you're purposefully being vague." She was keeping something from me, only telling me what she thinks I needed to know.

As I spoke her eyes were trained to my lips but then they rose back to mine, "The less you know the better."

The anger from earlier had subsided, I wasn't seeing red with rage all I could see was her. The way her top lip was almost as full as her bottom one, how she kept biting her bottom one nervously meaning it was nearly blood red from the pressure of her teeth. How I could see the faint freckles on her cheekbones and forehead from the lack of makeup she had on today.

Without thinking I dipped my head so my lips were just above hers, I stopped before they touched feeling her breath against my wet lips mingle with my own. She tilted her head back so they both grazed along each other, "Your move." I whispered, allowing her to decide whether she wanted this to end or not.

She paused for a moment, her eyes scanning my face, but then her fingers dug into my hair and her hips were flush against mine making me gasp slightly before her lips pressed against mine. My arms wound around her waist until her whole front was against me, my hand grabbing her head to move her lips against mine where she let out a soft moan. Gripping her thigh I lifted her from the ground where she then wrapped both of her legs tightly around my waist.

My breathing was fast paced like our kisses, our fingers clawing at one another not being able to stay still as they raked through hair and gripped clothing. She was perched on the rock but her legs were still tight around my waist, I pulled away as her kisses left my mouth and went along my jaw and down my neck as her hands pulled my top away from my shoulders until her hands were under it and flat against my shoulder blades.

Rolls were then reversed and my mouth was on her neck, leaving wet kisses on her skin as I sucked slightly at the sensitive part under her ear and her legs tightened around me. Pulling my hoodie and her top down at her shoulders so I had more skin to kiss my lips peppered her freckled shoulders and kissed her collarbones, moving down her chest as she leaned further back onto the rock.

I don't think she meant to but as I kissed her cleavage she gripped my hair tighter and mumbled, "God I love you." When she said it she was fine for a moment and my kisses became even more hungry- if that was possible- as I moved back up her mouth but then she froze. Her body changed from its tingling ecstasy filled state to frozen and rigid as she removed her legs and tried to stand up.

"What's wrong?" Her eyes met mine and they were filled with guilt, "No, no you can't do this to me again! Don't leave and don't you dare say it, you meant what you just said." My voice was loud but I wasn't angry just desperate.

"I'm sorry but I need to go."

She moved her top back to normal and I gripped at my hair, "No! This is just like that night in my room! You're leaving when shit gets too deep, but I'm not going to let you go. Trust me Cammie I promise I'll never let you drown no matter how deep it gets, you have to trust me."

Her gaze met mine, "Zach you're my anchor, so whether you like it or not I will drown." Then she took off my hoodie and placed it on the rock and then she pushed back the branches and headed towards to town centre where her car was parked.

 **First time writing in Zach's POV, I kind of liked it. Not sure about some of this chapter but I liked how it ended. I think there might just be a few more chapters left of this story, they should be pretty intense (hopefully). Just want to thank everyone who has read it so far and left reviews and gave me positive feedback. I am really grateful.**


	17. Chapter 17

**I am so sorry for not updating in ages, I have been really busy with coursework and we didn't have wifi for ages. Plus I had major writers block, not mad about this chapter but will try and update as much as possible. There is not much left for this story, thanks for everyone who has been supporting it (even during my disappearance lol) Anyway enjoy**

After a very emotional reunion and me promising never to run off again Bex and Grant had finally gone back home and I was in the comfort of my own room. I was kicking off my shoes when I heard my door open behind me turning around expecting to see my mum I stumbled back slightly to find my dad standing there with a kind smile as he shut the door.

"What are you doing here?" The minute the door clicked completely shut and our eyes met making the smile fall from his face and fury replaced it.

"Did you have fun at your little meeting with Sally?" His voice was sinister as he lips had a sickening smile on them; his fists were clenched at his sides with such force his arms were nearly shaking. I couldn't, wouldn't, dare take my eyes off them because I knew well enough what might happen if I did. My mouth was open slightly and I tried to formulate a response but I couldn't, he just kept stepping closer to me until I hit my desk. "Look at you, you're shaking! Think you can threaten me?"

His hysterical laughs filled my room making my eyes dart to my door frightened in case my mum came up wondering why my dad was in a state of hysteria, "Please leave me alone. I won't say anything about Sally you'll get your money I don't care. But please don't do this, not with mum downstairs." I was begging but I didn't care, he couldn't ruin everything and let my mum find out not after I'd spent so long hiding it from her. It would make it all pointless.

"I slipped your mum a sleeping pill; she won't be waking up until tomorrow. Bless her, you had her worried sick." Then my eyes met him and I saw the dark descending as his tone turned threatening and his face inches away from mine. "You can stop begging, I won't lay a finger on you, but I will tell you this. Stop meddling, because next time I find out you're trying to play spy I will make sure you regret it."

With him finally stepping away from me I released a breath I had no idea I was holding, my dad slowly walked around my room his eyes scanning things. For a second I thought I saw a sense of longing and regret, he knew nothing about me. He had never been in my room for a while, his eyes fell to the records and books and a ghost of smile stained his lips. Sadly my music taste was from him.

Feeling like I was suffocating in my own room I finally spoke, "If that was all you can leave now." His eyes met mine and then he just walked to the door and left. When I heard the door click shut I ran to it and turned to lock so I knew no one else would be able to get up here.

Suddenly my heart was racing in my chest, my breaths becoming short and shallow as my vision got cloudy. My palms slick with cold sweat, resting my hands against the wall replicating a position I once saw in a movie when the character was having a panic attack but it didn't seem to help. I wanted nothing more than to call Zach, but I couldn't drag him into this again. It was better if we were just friends.

Resting my back against the door I slid down until I was sitting and my head was between my knees and I began to feel more relaxed, my breathing was less shallow but my heart was still racing. Until eventually I calmed down and my body began to ache from everything that happened tonight.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep as I woke up from my alarm blaring at seven in the morning with me leaning against the wall, since I got a few hours' sleep I was a little groggy but I was kind of used to not sleeping so I was still feeling ok for school. I grabbed some clothes and a towel and headed to the shower to try and get the steam to relax my muscles that had coiled up from sleeping slouched against my door.

When I was ready in a pair of black jeans and a sweatshirt I grabbed my school bag and phone then headed to the kitchen. Stopping in my tracks I saw my dad leaning against the counter reading the paper and sipping coffee, I nearly laughed at how normal this was, "Morning sweetie, one more sleep!" His voice was excited and I felt my stomach turn at the light-hearted way he was referring to leaving us with no money.

In response I just scoffed and went to the fridge for some juice and something to eat on the go, I felt him walk behind me and he gripped my shoulders as he brought his mouth to my ear "It's nearly as exciting as Christmas."

Just when I was about to push him away I heard my mother's groggy voice, "What is?"

My head snapped in her direction and guilt filled me as I saw the dark circles under her eyes, "Why Cammie's big race today of course, I can't wait. Shame you couldn't get the evening off work though."

 _Shit_. I completely forgot about the competition tonight. I had the afternoon off classes to have last minute training, good job since I skipped it last night. Then my father's words registered in my mind, "You're not going to be there?" I turned to face my mother my eyes meeting her sad ones.

My mum looked almost as guilty as I felt, "No sorry sweetie, not with the time I had to take off to care for your dad. But he will be there and I'll be there in spirit. You know how much I love you, you'll rock it without me don't worry." She gave me a light kiss on my cheek and then poured some coffee. "Now you better get going or you will be late."

I nodded numbly in response grabbing my sports bag along with my school bag and headed out the door. I can't believe I forgot about this race, I've been training for months; this could be the break I need. With my dad now buggering off with my college fund I'll need to catch as much attention as possible from scouts handing out college scholarships.

When I got to school I headed to the changing rooms to drop off my gym bag in my locker and on my way I passed Zach, his eyes met mine and they were filled with so much hurt that I felt physically sick. "Zach…" The minute I spoke his gaze snapped away and he dropped his head and carried on his walk away from me. I guess he finally started listening to me and is now leaving me alone, but I just wish it didn't hurt just as much as it did.

As I stood stupidly in the corridor watching Zach's silhouette leave the doors at the bottom someone spun me around and pulled me into a tight hug, "Oh Cammie I am so happy you're okay. I was worried sick last night, we all were." I pulled away from Macey and smiled at the usual gang that now surrounded me. "You okay?"

I stretched my lips into a grin that I hoped they would believe, "Yeah I'm fine, and sorry about last night really I am. Guess things got a bit heavy and I panicked, but I'm going to smash it tonight."

Grant laughed and draped his heavy arm across my shoulder, "Of course you are. If I know anything about you it's that you always rock it on the track, especially when you have something to fight for." I gave him a look, "Prove the rumours wrong," Cue another confused look, "That you're not a nut job who tried to flee."

My mouth fell open, "That's what the psychos are saying? Honestly this school never ceases to amaze me." With that the gang laughed and I tried to join in but all I could think about was the race and how I was going to use all this anger in my favour and win.

After being pulled in by coach before lunch to get a lecture about tonight and to go over strategies before afternoon pre-race training I headed to lunch. Deciding I wanted to kill a bit more time before seeing the gang walk on eggshells around me (it seems they kind of believed the rumours too and seemed to think I was on the edge of insanity) I walked around the school so I had to go over the parking lot and through the main entrance. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Zach sitting on the steps to the school with his jacket lying next to him on his bag and his head in his hands.

Slowly I walked over to him and stopped in front of him, due to him sitting down I was looking down on him, "Hey." I awkwardly broke the silence and he jumped from the voice and met my eyes. The minute he saw who it was they fell again and his head returned to his hands. Not giving up that easily I sat down next to him but made sure I was a safe distance from him.

We were in silence for a few more minutes until he broke it, "I thought you didn't want to see me, I had to stay away."

He still wasn't looking at me so my nodding head was pointless, "I know I said that but… I don't know I guess you were right." More silence so taking a deep breath I spoke again, "I do still love you."

I don't know what I was expecting, really I didn't. I might have been expecting him to grab me and pull me close, maybe kiss me senseless until I became a pathetic weak teenage girl. However I do know I was _not_ expecting him to grab his things and storm off in the opposite direction.

Sighing I rubbed my face angrily and leaned back so my back was against the school wall, I checked my phone to see Macey had sent me a text asking if I was coming to lunch or not. With one last look in the direction Zach stormed off into I contemplated following but I knew it would do me no good, I had lost him now and there was a race to focus on and then I would have to focus on my heartbroken mother after my father leaves tomorrow. So maybe Zach and I ending wasn't the worse thing, but it also wasn't the best.

After lunch I headed to the track and began training, I was determined to win these races. I spent the next three hours running, hurdling and stretching. Taking a large drink from my water my coach approached me, "You broke your record out there, let's hope you can do that tonight." I smiled and nodded breathlessly, "I have complete faith in you Morgan I wouldn't have let you do your training in your own time if I didn't. Now shower and relax those muscles before the competition."

Nodding I jogged to the showers and then cleaned myself up and got changed into my school running gear. It was black lycra running shorts with the school's logo on the left leg and a red lycra vest that had the schools name on the back. Since it was pretty cool outside I chucked over my school's sweatshirt over it- the school was mad about school spirit and that involved their name on everything.

I then spent the next hour stretching and focusing on the competition, Bex was there too but she was doing her thing. When we decided we needed a break we sat on the bleachers in silence, I was staring at the track but I could feel her watching me debating on whether to break the silence. Hearing her sigh I realised she'd came her decision, "Cam what's going on?"

Keeping my gaze on the track I answered, "I don't know Bex, but I just have to do well tonight. I need a scholarship."

"Okay right just for a minute or two can we forget about this race and talk about what happened last night?" Her tone was blunt and I could tell she was sick of pussy-footing around me- it wasn't really her thing.

Eventually I turned to face her; she looked just as distressed as she sounded. Her dark caramel eyes were scanning me desperately and her eyebrows were furrowed together causing a crease to form. "Zach and I officially broke up." Of course I couldn't tell her about my dad's blackmail, and the woman who is blackmailing me to then screw my dad over as well. Its not exactly a quick story I can tell in a few minutes.

"Why, you were both crazy about each other it was quite bloody annoying actually." I smiled at her comment; we were crazy about each other. I'm still crazy about him. "So that's why you ran off?"

I couldn't tell her, it would drag her into it and Zach hates me after dragging him into the twisted thing called my life so the last thing I want is her to hate me too. "Kind of, but I still love him. I told him that today and he just walked away."

Bex looked very confused but she did what Bex did best and told me what I needed to hear and respected my boundaries, "I can guess you're not telling me some things but I trust you would if you needed to. But give him time, talk to him after this competition is over and try and get him back. He still loves you, it's obvious. You can't just turn it off."

Just as she finished her speech Zach, Nick, Grant and Macey rounded the corner laughing at something. Looking up I noticed that Zach was looking anywhere by me, "How's the little champions?" Macey asked as she sat down next to me and pulled me into a quick hug, "Did training go well?"

Bex scoffed from next to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, "This one broke another record, and honestly she was like a machine. She's going to rock her three races." Grant cooed jokingly and pinched my cheeks so telling him to piss off I pushed him off me. "Oh crap I was going to ask if you dad was coming tonight Cammie?" Bex's question rung in my ears.

That was it, at the mention of him I stiffened and my stomach twisted into a sickening knot. I felt Zach's eyes on me, not just for a fleeting second but they were boring into me and I knew if I met them I would lose myself. "Yeah he is, my mum couldn't get the time off work so it'll just be him. He was pretty excited this morning." I tried to smile and act like I wanted him there, they all believed it but I knew Zach didn't. I caught his eye for a second and saw he was filled with so much rage and concern I couldn't hold it for much longer.

"Well of course he is this will be the first race he's ever attended. We will have to make sure he gets the best seats in the house." Nick explained leaning against the railing in front of us.

Without much control I snapped at them, "Well considering he spent a year in a cell I'm sure he can handle a bad seat." After that I stared at them wide eyed and grabbed my things to push past them, as I passed Zach I felt him grip my arm softly making me stop. I turned to face him and his eyes were locked onto his hand on me with a confused look on his face with his mouth open like he wanted to say something.

I felt the gang staring at us waiting for something to happen but eventually he left go and I felt like my skin was on fire from his touch as I stormed off.


	18. Chapter 18

All of the seats were filled with parents from the competitors who had been travelling here all afternoon, quite a few students from our school and the local ones were here too for moral support. And of course there was the scouts, all sitting at the front looking at us all as we warmed up and got our pep talks from our coaches.

Our school's team was standing getting the speech on how we are all winners and that we have all worked extremely hard and how getting to nationals is an achievement in itself. Which it is, but winning nationals is something else. "Right Baxter you have your race first, and then you'll have another in about thirty minutes. Get up there and show us pathetic Americans what the British can do."

Bex was grinning like an idiot at the goofiness of our coach, "Wouldn't have it any other way." Then she quickly removed her sweatshirt to show her 'accidentally' shrunken vest that showed off her flat and toned stomach. I glanced and saw Grant was looking at her like she was the most amazing thing in the world; his eyes weren't scanning her hungrily like the other boys who had noticed her but with awe and love. He blew a kiss at her when she gave him a quick glance before she stood at her starting point waiting to be told to get into position.

She was running the 300m, something she was a pro at so we had all faith in her that she would win. The stadium quietened down as the seven girls got into positions ready to begin the race, after the countdown the gun was fired and they were off. Bex's long hair was whipping behind her in the tight pony tail she had it in as her powerful legs brought her to third position, her muscles rippling with every footstep on the track.

Her face was laced with pure determination; the cheering from the rest of the team and our school students was white noise to her as she stared at the finish line. We were chanting "Baxter" repeatedly as she picked up her speed on the final 100m and then just as you thought she wasn't going to get first place she sped up and zoomed past the two girls who were in front of her and passed the finish line first. Our whole section of the stadium erupted in cheers as she stood bent over trying to catch her breath.

Jogging over to the team's bench the coach congratulated her and then I pulled her into an extremely sweaty hug, "Bloody hell Bex that was incredible, for one moment I thought you weren't going to do it." I was laughing along with her.

"Come on Cam, have a bit more faith in me than that." She smirked at me knowing that she had really out done herself, and then she was pulled into a hug by the rest of the team.

A few more races took place and then it was time for my 100m race. As I took my sweatshirt off I glanced at the seats and saw the gang wishing me luck, Zach was looking at me and gave me a slight nod and smile. It was enough. My eyes drifted and I caught sight of my dad, he had his phone to his ear but he still saw me and he mouthed "good luck" but the smirk on his lips told a different story. I must have been staring at him for a while as Bex came and gave me a nudge, when I glanced back at the gang Zach was glaring daggers at the back of my dad's head.

Jogging to the starting point of the race I got into a position, it was only a 100m sprint so it wouldn't take long. I glanced at the other girls lining up and they all had great bodies their legs had a good build-up of muscle of them and I recognised some of them from the previous stages in the competition. Blocking out my opponents I focused on my race and how important this whole night was.

The fire of the gun rung and I was off, I was in second my feet clambering off the ground as I glided through the air. The wind seemingly flowing off me as I sprinted to the finish line and in the last second I got to the front just as the previous girl slowed down thinking she had it in the bag making me cross the line first.

Grinning I leant over to try and catch my breath gripping hold of my sides, I felt Bex wrap me into a congratulatory hug and laughing hysterically "WELL DONE! You were amazing, seriously the look on your face I don't think I've ever seen you so… possessed!"

I gave her a funny look grinning because it felt amazing the adrenaline was still coursing through my veins, "Possessed?" Bex just waved off my confused at her choice of word, I glanced at the scouts and they all were scribbling something down and look pretty impressed, "Bex look they look really impressed, do you think one of them will offer me something?"

Slinging her arm around my neck she pulled me over to the benches, "They'd be mad not to, also I heard one of them talking to coach about you before. They've had their eye on you for a while." I was gripping my bottle and smiling like a mad woman but I didn't care. I glanced at the gang and they were cheering me still, but I noticed Zach had vanished from the group and when I looked to find my dad he was gone too.

My whole body felt numb, _this couldn't just be a coincidence._ "Hey Bex did you see where Zach went?" She shrugged and told me to ask the guys since I had a small break before my hurdles race. Jogging over to the bleachers I jumped over the railing and up the steps to their seats, "Hey guys where did Zach go?"

"I don't know, he just mumbled something about needing air and then wandered off." Grant explained and then he tried to dive into congratulating me.

"He needed air? We're outside!" He looked a bit confused and I realised he had only just started questioning Zach's pathetic excuse. "Look this might sound weird but you don't think he followed my dad out, he's vanished too?" I kept my voice neutral to try and not cause any suspicion.

"No he didn't, your dad left after Zach." Macey explained and as I stood there numbly they threw their arms around me and began congratulating me. Thanking them I quickly excused myself and went to try and find either Zach or my dad but I had a bad feeling they might be together and I don't think it would be a friendly encounter.

Slipping past the team and coach unnoticed I headed to the drinks and foods stands hoping they would just be there but sadly they weren't, as I walked past people from my school or parents of the other girls they congratulated me to which I numbly responded to. About five minutes had past and I had looked in all the places people go to during these things and there was no such luck, as I was passing some toilets I heard a loud groan come from inside.

I stopped in my tracks and looked at the door but there was a big 'Out Of Order' sign on it and a red obvious cone standing outside of the door so people wouldn't go in. Just as I was about to walk on and blame my imagination I heard another muffled noise coming from the other side of the heavy wooden door. Quickly checking no one was in the corridor I walked in and a small panicked scream left my lips at the sight.

Zach was pressed against the wall, his feet nearly off the ground, as my dad held him up by having his arm across his neck. Zach was clawing at my dad's arm his eyes bulging and his face was turning a dangerous purple, without so much of a thought I charged at my dad causing him to slam into the sinks a metre away from him.

Forgetting about my dad I tried to catch Zach to soften the blow of him falling to the floor, tears filled his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. My hands cupped his face and with a feather touch I inspected his neck to see it was red and bruising slightly. "Zach what happened?" I didn't realise it but I had begun crying, my voice was shaking as I looked at the boy I loved beaten because of my dad.

He was slumped against the wall his hands gripping my wrists as I held onto his face my thumbs catching the tears, "I couldn't let him hurt you again, I just couldn't." I didn't quite understand what he meant but I gathered it was about him leaving tomorrow however I didn't have much time to ask further as my dad was now standing up and coming for me.

With one hit to my head I fell to the floor and he was straddling my waist with his hands on my throat, he wasn't applying any pressure but I knew it wouldn't be long until he did. "You're quite the little sprinter aren't you, who would have thought the pathetic girl I brought into this world was actually good at something!" His laughter filled the toilets at his pathetic joke. I was staring right at his eyes not daring to show that I was scared, not giving him the satisfaction.

"You've got yourself quite the knight in shining armour here darling; he would do anything for you did you know that?" He brought his face up close to mine his hot breath was against my cold skin.

With as much hate as possible I spat out, "Well maybe you can ask to share notes, maybe then you'll learn it's horrible to leave your wife." Apparently this wasn't the best thing to say as that earned me a hard slap across my cheek and pressure to my throat. Letting out a gasp of shock I glanced to see Zach was no longer slumped by the wall.

Without having much of a chance to find him my dad was ripped off me and Zach punched him hard in the stomach, my dad groaned in agony and I quickly scurried to my feet. I could tell Zach was still in agony but I couldn't find anything apart from the marks on his neck that would suggest it, he kept winching when he stretched his abdomen but he had a jacket on so I couldn't see anything.

Just as I was about to try and get between them my phone started ringing yanking it from my pocket I saw it was Bex, I was due to race again, but I quickly ended it and ran towards my dad and Zach. My dad had returned the favour and punched Zach in the gut, screaming in pain he fell to the floor, as he did I noticed that the whole left side of his jacket was stained with blood. My dad did too and I saw the panic on his face, as he was still shocked the adrenaline gave me strength to hold him to the wall by his throat.

He had lost all his bravado and was now panicking, "What did you do?" I shouted at him, not caring if anyone heard. I had already lost the scholarship so I needed that money, so someone seeing my dad beating the crap out of Zach and his daughter wouldn't really work negatively in my favour.

"I only meant to scare him, it was only meant to be a small scratch." He was scared and I loved every second of it.

"Leave. Get out of here. But here's one small thing you should know about your beloved Sally, she's taking that money for herself the minute she gets it. You'll have two ruined relationships. Now piss off." I spat my words at him like venom and then released my hold of him and he sprinted from the toilets.

The second he left I ran to Zach to see him gripping at his side, I knelt next to him and gasped at the blood. Pulling his shirt up it revealed a relatively deep cut, I don't know anything about medicine but I don't think it damaged anything serious. "I am so sorry Zach." He hushed me as I sobbed my hands pressing hard down on the cut to try and stop the bleeding.

"Hey, hey stop apologising. It isn't your fault," I opened my mouth to argue but he quickly weakly continued, "I got in this mess because I fell in love with you." His words were so weak it made me want to cry harder but I couldn't, I had to try and stay strong I could see how scared he was. The dark red blood contrasted harshly with my pale skin and under the bright lights of the toilets, removing my hands from his side I pulled off my sweatshirt and his voice filled the room "I do hope you're not trying to seduce me Miss Morgan."

I laughed softly as I bunched the sweatshirt into a ball and pressed it firmly over the cut, "Only you would be able to be sexy while you're bleeding on a manky high school boy's toilet."

He smirked slightly at me as his eyes became a bit heavier, "It's just you who would think that, you have always found me irresistible." I laughed slightly and then just as I was about to grab my phone and call 911 the doors swung open and two paramedics came running in. They were the ones that were on standby for the competition.

"What happened?" The woman asked as she came over and inspected Zach's injury.

"My dad was fighting him." When I said it Zach's eyes met mine in shock that I had said anything, "I'm not lying for him anymore, he can burn in hell for all I care." Before I could say anything else the male paramedic pulled me away from Zach and they began to work on him to try and stop the bleeding. I watched as they worked away and Zach slowly became weaker, until eventually his eyes closed he fell into unconsciousness and I sat next to him with his head on my lap sobbing.

* * *

Zach had been rushed to hospital in an ambulance and I followed behind in Grant's car, I just had a few cuts on my face that got sorted at the scene. Grant didn't ask any questions which I was grateful for but I could tell he was itching too, my mum was called and she was meeting us at the hospital after she had finished working with her current patient so I knew that was going to a very emotional reunion.

I was now sitting in the hospital waiting room with Grant by my side, he held my hand and rubbed it soothingly as I stared at the shiny hospital floor. We sat in silence but I could tell he had a millions things he wanted to say from the way his eyebrows furrowed together and he kept tightening his grip on my hand every so often.

After a few minutes my mum appeared. Hurriedly she ran towards me and knelt in front of me, "Honey? You're shaking, are you not cold?" Since I no longer had my sweatshirt I was just in shorts and a vest but I wasn't cold, I just shook my head in response. "What happened? Where's your father?"

I couldn't meet her eyes; I could hear the desperation in her voice as she spoke of him she was desperate that what the paramedics told her was misheard. I knew it, I had tried so hard to keep this from her but it was ruined now- to get out of this I'd have to tell her everything. I felt her soft hand on my cheek as she tilted my face towards hers where her soothing eyes waited, "Talk to me Cammie, please." Taking her hand in my other free one I stood up and she pulled Grant and I towards a relatives room.

It was one of the rooms where you hear the saddest news about a family member, where you hear they have a terminal illness or haven't survived. I just hope this news isn't quite as earth shattering.

I could tell my mum was nervous from the way she offered me a tea and pottered around the room that had been decorated in an attempt to be homely, with a plastic potted plant on a crappy coffee table and a framed photo of some badly painted flowers hung on one of the walls. But no matter how much they decorated you could still taste the sterile air of the hospital and smell the chemicals and cleaning products.

My mother sat in front of me as I sat on the sofa pulling Grant with me, "Are you sure you want me here Cammie? I don't mind waiting outside." His voice was soft and comforting, just like his presence. He was like a brother I had never had, always being there for me through anything whether it be a bad grade in a test or my father being put in jail. He was always just there.

I smiled softly at him and shook my head, "No I want you here, you'll want to hear this to." Taking a deep breathe I looked up and met my mother's eyes and in a steady voice begun, "It was dad who hurt Zach. During my first race they both went missing so I tried to find them and I found Zach pinned against the wall of an out of service toilet by dad. He was nearly choking him to death."

My mother looked at me confused, her mouth falling open in shock and horror filling her features. "Why… why would Matthew do that to Zach?" This was it, one of the many bombshells that were about to come her way.

As I took a deep breath I faulted slightly but then Grant squeezed my hand and I sorted my breathing out again before I became a mess, "Zach didn't want him to hurt me again." My mum gave me a confused look, "Dad's having an affair, they were planning on leaving tomorrow with all the money that had been left by grandad to get me to college I'm sorry." It wasn't the nicest way to put it but the secret was suffocating me, it just came out in a ramble of word vomit.

After I announced that my mum released a loud sob and bent over in what looked like physical pain, she had stuck by him through everything and this is how the scum bag repaid her. I wanted to go and comfort her but I couldn't, I had to get it all out now or I fear I never would. "Mum there's more I need to tell you." She looked at me desperately; she didn't want any more she couldn't take any more. But she had to know. "When Zach said he didn't want dad to hurt me again it wasn't because of him leaving us, it was because before he went to jail he… hit me."

That was it, the whole room turned into a tornado.

Grant stood up and I looked at him to see him gripping his hair as his body shook in anger, his muscles so tense I thought they might just tear apart. The veins on his head pulsing as he tried to calm his breathing, "He did what?" His voice was so distant than normal, not loud but filled with so much rage it scared me.

Ignoring him I looked over to my mum who was staring open mouthed at me with tears streaming down her cheeks, "Mum, say something please." I had never felt so vulnerable in my whole life. Her eyes were glued to me.

Without missing a beat she was by my side and was holding me to her chest rubbing my back, "Oh my god Cammie I am so sorry. I never knew, how could he do this? All those bruises, the bruise on your neck a few weeks ago that was him?" I nodded into her chest and I felt her cry a little harder. She was talking frantically, apologising and trying to comprehend it all.

I didn't know what to; I couldn't cry I seemed to not know how. Grant was pacing trying to calm his rage but I knew he wanted my father's on a plate and to be honest so do I. Pulling away from my mother I looked her dead in the eye, "You aren't to blame, no one is but him."


	19. Chapter 19

We spent the next half an hour in that room crying and talking and then more crying. I managed to calm Grant down from his rage but then it just turned into his holding me until eventually I started crying too. I was itching to find out what was going on with Zach so after excusing myself from the room Grant and I went to the front desk, "Hello I was wondering if you could tell us what is happening with Zach Goode?" I asked politely.

The man behind the desk nodded in acknowledgment and turned to his computer, "He has recently been moved to the wards, room number 135." After thanking the man we both followed the signs to the room.

Once we were outside Grant leaned against the wall as I headed for the door, "Are you not coming?"

Shaking his head with a ghost of a smile on his lips, "He needs you right now and you need him, I'll be just out here when you've spoken to him." Nodding in response I pushed the door open as Grant pulled out his phone to problem catch the gang up.

I gasped at the sight and my hand covered my mouth in shock, Zach was lying on the bed his shirt removed and his torso covered in a bandage. His skin was still quite pale and he had bruises on his chest and face. "Still taking your breath away babe?" His voice croaked through the small room but it still left me weak at the knees.

I was quickly by his side my fingers delicately touching his arm scared to touch him in case he broke, "What have the doctors said, are you going to be okay?"

Zach nodded but I could tell he was still in pain, "It was just a flash wound, pretty deep but nothing too serious and I will make a full recovery. I'll just have a scar but that's pretty badass." I chuckled softly at him but it was thick with tears, "I'm pretty badly bruised but I'll be good as new in a few weeks, so you'll have to wait a bit to have your way with me Morgan."

I started laughing now and lightly swatted his arm, "You were nowhere near this annoying before, what happened?"

Shrugging slightly he responded, "I don't know, guess it is withdrawal symptoms from not seeing you." I smiled sadly at him, I could tell by the look in his eye how hurt he was by everything.

Leaning over so my forehead was just above his, my fingers caressed his cheek "I am so sorry, but I didn't know what else to do." I was whispering and when Zach placed his hand on my waist and his long fingers went under my shirt and dug into the flesh my breath hitched and my eyes rolled shut in bliss. "I've missed you so much."

Tilting his face towards mine his lips grazed over mine and that small touch sent waves of electricity through me making me crash my lips back into his, his grip on my waist intensified and his other hand held me in place so I didn't cause him pain. My hand curled to the back of his head and my fingers tugged at the curls making him release a soft moan into my mouth, "It's going to be a very long few weeks." His voice was a raspy whisper that made me feel weak alone.

Smiling against his mouth I pulled away from the kiss but kept my forehead against his, "I told me mum everything." Zach murmured in understanding, "I don't know what's going to happen now though, the police are going to want me to report it all but I don't know if I want it to get out."

My eyes were closed as my spoke so I didn't see it coming but I felt the rough fingertips of Zach caress my face as he pushed my fallen hair behind my ear and he softly and quickly kissed my lips, "Whatever happens I'll be right here next to, I am not letting you leave me again." I stood up properly and softly ran my fingers through his hair that was damp from where the nurses had washed the blood from it.

"I'm going to go and get Grant, he's waiting outside." Zach nodded softly but we stayed silently staring at each other for a bit before I did actually move. Opening the door I saw Grant was there with Bex's arms tight around his waist and he soothingly rubbed her back, Macey and Nick were sitting on the floor with their knees to their chests and playing with each other's fingers and staring blankly at the wall in front. Adam was standing right in front of me with a face of thunder. "When did you all get here?"

"About ten minutes ago." Adam gritted out, the anger burning away in his eyes as he looked at the cut on my head and the bruising on my face where I was smacked by my dad. Turning to the rest of them as they stared at me wide eyed and full of pity Adam spoke, "You guys go in, I just wanted to have a chat with Cammie." They watched my carefully but I nodded and they went into the door.

Once the door closed shut I reached Adam's eyes, "What's up?" I cringed at how pathetic I was, he just finds out one of his best mates is in hospital because of the local child beater and I ask that?

He didn't say anything for a while; his pained eyes just met mine as he angrily tugged at his hair before he sagged in defeat, "Why didn't you tell me? I would have protected you." In our years of friendship I had never heard him sound so lost, his voice physically strained and my chest tightened as his eyes met mine.

Adam sagged his tall frame against the wall and looked at me as my mouth fell open, "I… I don't know." He stared at me for a moment before he slid his back down the wall until he was sitting on the polished hospital floor staring at the wall behind me. Sighing I went and sat next to him, placing my hand on his arm I tried again, "No I do know why I didn't tell you, it wasn't because I didn't trust you enough or because I didn't see you as a close enough friend. It was because I cared about you too god damn much, it was because I was scared. I care about you so much that I was terrified that if I told the people I cared for about it my dad would react and hurt them. I couldn't let that happen."

We sat in silence for a few more moments until I heard Adam sigh lightly and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders before lightly kissing my temple, "I didn't mean to go off on one with you but I was just so scared when I heard what had happened." I nodded in response knowing the silence in this situation was going to be good.

/

It had been about an hour since everyone had gotten to the hospital and we were all now sitting in Zach's hospital room, I had called his brother and he got here as soon as possible where he proceeded to scold Zach for trying to be a hero but I could tell he was proud of him too. I was sitting on the edge of Zach's bed where he had his arm wrapped around my waist, Grant and Bex were sharing the chair next to Zach's bed and Nick and Macey were leaning against the wall while Dean sat on the chair on the other side of the bed. Everyone was laughing at a story Dean was telling us about a younger Zach which ended in him wetting himself.

Zach groaned and covered his face with his arm that wasn't wrapped around me, "Oh god Dean did you have to tell my mates that one, especially my girlfriend?" Everyone was laughing and I turned to look at him as I tried to calm down my laughter but I could feel the large grin on my lips, his eyes met mine and they filled with dark desire as I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. His green eyes glanced at my lips and then back at my eyes, and his fingertips crept under my top where they ran across my skin in circular motions making me close my eyes as the heat that coursed through me from his touch filled my whole body.

Before the group could pick up on the change of mood between us two there was a slight knock on the door and we all turned to see two police officers standing there, "Sorry to interrupt but we were wondering if we could have a word?" The short one with an old face spoke, his eyes looking at the scene with a smile ghosting his lips.

Bex stood up and straightened out her top, "Sorry but they have both made their statements could this now wait until tomorrow?" She kept her voice levelled but I could see the fire burning in her eyes as she stared at the officer dead in the eyes. If anyone was going to intimidate the police it was going to be Bex Baxter.

His removed his hat and cleared his throat, "It isn't to do with statements we just wanted to have a quick word with Cameron regarding the whereabouts of her father." I stiffened and I felt Zach sit up a bit more next to me, the room's atmosphere turned thick as the elephant in the room was mentioned. "We have your mother but she wanted you to be there too." He had turned to face me and I could tell he was a kind man.

Nodding I slid off the bed but I felt Zach grip my wrist making me turn to face him, "I love you." His voice was a slightly whisper as his eyes filled with fear, smiling softly at him I leaned over and lightly kissed his lips before I followed the two officers out of the hospital room. I followed them down the corridor pulling at the sleeves of the hoodie Nick had given me until my fingers were curled into tight fists beneath the long sleeves. We stopped at the doorway and the taller younger guy opened the door for me before ushering in and I saw my mother sitting on the sofa we were at before but this time she was more composed and less tear stained.

"Hey baby." I smiled at her in response and sat next to her, she had been on the phone to lawyers and the bank since I left her to try and get the savings account closed and make sure our apartment is safe. She gripped my hand in two of hers and placed it on her lap as she looked up to look at the two officers who sat opposite us.

I felt like I was in the head teacher's office about to get the punishment to last a life time.

They both placed their hats on the table in between us both and then the kinder softer spoken man began, "Cameron we have located your dad, he was nearing the border of Virginia by car and he had Sally with him. We have managed to empty the bank account into another safer one that only your mother can access so you can use it for when you want to apply for college. We have given his and Sally's information to the border he is approaching and all surround airports so they shouldn't be able to leave the state.

We haven't informed the press about his identity and they aren't allowed to release any information that could scare them into hiding. This is a promise and they say we shouldn't give out promises in this type of case unless we mean them so don't take this lightly; we will find your dad and he will be put in jail for a long time and you will be safe again. That is a promise." His eyes were staring at mine and I just nodded numbly, the mass of information sinking in.

I could be safe. This could just turn into a horrible dream rather than my harsh reality.

My mother squeezed my hand, "You hear that baby you'll be safe." I turned to face her knowing I probably looked stupid with my lips parted in shock as a weird sense of security washed over me; I nodded at her smiling softly.

"Thank you so much, I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner. Maybe if I did Zach wouldn't be laying in a hospital bed with a knife wound."

The taller, younger officer shook his head and spoke for the first time, "Don't blame yourself for any of this, that's the worst thing you can do now. It is very rare that people come forward in domestic violence cases, especially when it is someone like your father who is supposed to looking out for you. " I nodded in response not really knowing what else to say, he shared a look with his partner and they both stood up gripping this hats under their arms. "Take this card, if you ever feel like you need support or feel unsafe give this number a call and they'll help. This goes for both of you, we want to do nothing but support you. We will be in touch with any further developments."

"Thank you. I was just wondering will there be a trail? Like will I have to retell it all to people again?" My voice sounded so weak and scared, but for once I wasn't ashamed.

The younger officer's face softened as he held the door before it shut behind the short man, "No once we get your father he'll be straight in prison the evidence is far too damning against him."

Feeling satisfied with that answer I smiled at him as he left thanking his once again and then turned to my mother who was slipping the card into her purse. She turned to face me, "Are you okay?" I smiled at her weakly and nodded, "I understand this may be all overwhelming since you've been keeping this to yourself for so long but it's okay to show weakness dear, it only means you're human." And that was when the waterworks begun.

 **Sorry if this wasn't that good, I wasn't really feeling the chapter. DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE CASE MAY NOT BE CORRECT I DO NOT CLAIM TO KNOW THE LAW AND HOW THE SYSTEM IS RAN.**


	20. Chapter 20

It's been a week since the accident; Zach was out of the hospital and had to stay off school for the last week to recover. My dad was found and immediately charged, his sentencing will take place at the end of next week but the police have ensured us that he will be away for a while. It was now Friday night and after having another day of people walking on eggshells around me and seemingly waiting for me to combust at any given moment I was getting home.

When I entered the apartment and took off my hoodie and bag at the doorway my mum emerged from the kitchen with her hospital scrubs on, "Hey Cam how was school?" I grunted in response and told her about the two pop quizzes I had in the afternoon, "Well I'm sure you'll have done great. I have cooked you some pasta and it is in the fridge for you to just heat up when you want it, there is some cash in the biscuit jar if there is an emergency and the numbers are on the fridge as usual."

Walking up to her laughing I placed my hands on her shoulder to calm her down; this was a regular thing whenever she leaves work for her night shift. "Calm down mum I'll be fine; I think I'm going over to Zach's tonight anyway so I'll probably end up staying there."

She smiled softly at me and pushed some of the wisps of hair that had fallen from my pony tail to behind my ear, "I'm sorry darling it's just I want to make sure I look after you properly until you leave next year." Sighing I looked down to the floor, "Have you still not heard from any of the scholarships yet?"

Shaking my head I rubbed my hands across my face, "No and when I did I doubt it'll be good news. That was supposed to be the night that got us the support we needed but I screwed it up and bloody ran off! I could have got a good scholarship I know it, and even with the money that dad didn't take it isn't enough to pay for a college degree."

Placing her hands on my cheeks she tenderly rubbed her thumb under my eye to catch my angry tears and lightly kissed my forehead, "Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. It will work out for the best I promise." Then she grabbed her coat and slipped it on, "What time are you going to Zach's?"

"I don't know, probably pretty soon why?" I began to untie my trainers as she slipped hers on.

"If you're staying the night make sure you're careful and use protection because that's the last thing we need right now." My head snapped up with shock and my cheeks flushed in embarrassment but my mum stood checking her bag as if this was a perfectly normal way to say goodbye to your daughter.

"Mum! He's on bed rest for a start and he can't really move very much." I was practically shrieking with embarrassment but my mum was giggling softly as she reached for the door handle.

Just when I thought she was going to leave without making me burn up from the blood rushing to my cheeks she gave me a quick glance and added, "Not all sexual activities have to involve a lot of tumbling around the bedsheets." Then she closed the door behind her but I could still hear her loud laughter as she walked towards the lift.

/

After my mum left I got showered and changed into some new clothes which were just some ripped denim jeans and a white top with a slogan on, I was now at Zach's. He was sitting at the kitchen table as I heated up the pasta that I brought from home, he was looking dangerously handsome in a pair of low hanging sweatpants and fortunately he had no shirt on. His hair was messy from it not being styled today and he had a stupid grin on his face as I "accidently" leaned over in front of him giving him a look at my ass in my tight jeans.

"Jesus Cam you're killing me." Then before I had a chance to comeback with something he gripped my hips and pulled me until I was sitting on his lap, he brushed my still slightly damp hair back his fingers trailing down my neck. "You have no idea how much I love you."

His voice was low and husky and when his lips went to my neck where his breath fanned my skin and his fingers pulled my top down across my shoulder my sarcastic remark was replaced with a soft moan. I felt his lips curl into a smirk as he kissed my jaw and slowly edged his lips to the corner of my mouth, "You're supposed to be resting." I breathed out as I gripped his hair in my fist when he pushed my front against his bare one.

We were both breathing heavily as our heart rates picked up, "I'll stop if you want." Then as he finally kissed me, his lips forceful against mine, he then pulled away and looked at me in the eye. His green ones filled with desire and his chest was rising against mine with the heavy breaths. I shook my head my words falling dead on my lips as Zach effortlessly moved me from sideways sitting on his lap to straddling him.

Moving my hands across his bare shoulders and up his neck I placed a soft kiss on his collar bone, then on his neck where I slowly sucked on the sensitive spot beneath his ear. I felt him harden beneath my thigh as I pressed myself further against him, slowly I moved my lips so they brushed across his cheek and I heard the sharp intake of breath as I neared his lips.

Apparently I was taking too long as with a low growl his lips were on mine; his arms were tight around my waist making my front pressed firmly against his. My hands were on the side of his face and down as neck as the kisses became were passionate, his arms loosened as his hands ran down my sides. During my movements I made sure to avoid his injuries and just followed the movements he was allowing me to do, I was making sure everything was at his pace.

It was a very intense pace to say the least.

His mouth was on my neck as he licked and sucked at it making my breaths became short and quick and my thighs tightened around his torso as my body was alive with ecstasy. His hands fumbled at the hem of my shirt before he pulled it off me and then his hands found my breasts. As he started kissing me again I became very aware of the situation, "Zach… Zach maybe we should slow down you're still recovering." My words came out slow and breathlessly as he left wet kisses down my chest and on my cleavage.

Slowly he pulled away, "Yeah maybe you're right." He seemed to slowly sober up but I could still see and feel the need for this to go further. "The food will be ready soon anyway." Smiling at him I combed through his hair to make it look more presentable and then I got off his lap and grabbed my shirt. "Hey no fair, you get to see my shirtless I should be allowed to see you shirtless too."

I started laughing then and turned around to give him a long kiss as he placed a hand on my lower back, "It's okay I sleep naked." We the burst out laughing and I slipped my shirt back on just as the oven bleeped telling us the pasta was ready.

We had finished our dinner and Zach was showering after we had a longer than necessary argument on why I wasn't going to join him, I was now sitting at his desk flicking through my phone when I heard his bedroom door click open. Looking up I saw Dean walk in and head towards the wardrobe, "Hey Dean." At the sound of my voice he jumped out of his skin and turned to face me his eyes wide and panicked.

A smirk graced his lips but he looked pretty embarrassed, "Shit Cammie you don't half know how to scare people." I was giggling to myself as he grabbed a dark navy shirt from one of Zach's hangers, "I didn't know you were round tonight."

"Yeah I got that from the shrieking and jumping." His response was just an exaggerated eye roll, "So why do you need that shirt, hot date with Lexi?"

"Yeah, we are going out for a meal with her family. Who are rich and her mother's a lawyer while her dad is a doctor so you know I won't feel at all out of place." His voice was dripping with sarcasm but I could sense the fear coming off him.

"Don't freak out, most parents main concern is the wellbeing of their child. They'll see you go all puppy eyed when you look at their daughter and how much you love her and not care about your income or whatever the hell you're worried about." I replied and he nodded and thanked me.

As he headed to the door he turned around to face me, "You know Zach looks at you the same way. He loves you so much it kind of scares me, I have never seen him so passionate about anything in his whole life." We were silent for a moment as I nodded my throat tightening slightly with tears, "I really wish you could have met our parents, they would have loved you."

Then with that he smiled warmly at me and closed the door behind him. When he left I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and filled with love and then put back in again, it was comforting knowing Dean actually liked me as well as believing his parents would have too. Pulling me from my thoughts as I stared at the wall with a light smile on my lips was Zach returning in a towel wrapped around his waist and another towel in his hand rubbing his damp curls.

I think my ovaries just exploded.

He was damp with droplets of water running down his toned chest and torso, the curls dripping down his neck as he patted them dry. The cut from my dad was actually healing really well and he got the few stiches removed yesterday so the scar was forming, he was yet to put a bandage back on it. But to honest it kind of added to the whole bad boy look he had going on right now.

Zach hasn't yet notices me gaping at him like a hormonal fan girl but he chucked the towel for his hair onto the door of his wardrobe and then picked up the dressing kit from the hospital, "Can you give me a hand with this babe?" Nodding I walked over to him and opened up the small box.

Taking out the dressing I placed it on the wound and then asked Zach to hold it in place as I wrapped it in a bandage and then secured it into place. "Done." Looking up I was caught off guard from how hooded his eyes had become, before I had much time to do anything else his hand found my waist and pulled me close towards his bare body.

He was seriously killing me tonight.

Running my hand up his side and across his chest then shoulder until I reached the back of his neck I pulled his face closer before lightly brushing my lips against his. Smiling against them he spoke, "How about I show you just how healed I've become." Before I could respond his lips were on mine and my back was on the mattress as the kissing got _a lot_ more heated.

 **I don't think there will be many more chapters, maybe one (possibly two), but I just want to take this time to thank everyone who has supported this story one way or another. You are all amazing and I am very grateful you took time out of your lives to read it.**

 **(PS to the guest named 'BrownEyedSmirker' who asked about the age restriction for writing on here I don't think there is one. But if anyone knows there is please leave it in your review so they are aware. Sorry if I wasn't much help)**


	21. Chapter 21

It's been a week since the accident; Zach was out of the hospital and had to stay off school for the last week to recover. My dad was found and immediately charged, his sentencing will take place at the end of next week but the police have ensured us that he will be away for a while. It was now Friday night and after having another day of people walking on eggshells around me and seemingly waiting for me to combust at any given moment I was getting home.

When I entered the apartment and took off my hoodie and bag at the doorway my mum emerged from the kitchen with her hospital scrubs on, "Hey Cam how was school?" I grunted in response and told her about the two pop quizzes I had in the afternoon, "Well I'm sure you'll have done great. I have cooked you some pasta and it is in the fridge for you to just heat up when you want it, there is some cash in the biscuit jar if there is an emergency and the numbers are on the fridge as usual."

Walking up to her laughing I placed my hands on her shoulder to calm her down; this was a regular thing whenever she leaves work for her night shift. "Calm down mum I'll be fine; I think I'm going over to Zach's tonight anyway so I'll probably end up staying there."

She smiled softly at me and pushed some of the wisps of hair that had fallen from my pony tail to behind my ear, "I'm sorry darling it's just I want to make sure I look after you properly until you leave next year." Sighing I looked down to the floor, "Have you still not heard from any of the scholarships yet?"

Shaking my head I rubbed my hands across my face, "No and when I did I doubt it'll be good news. That was supposed to be the night that got us the support we needed but I screwed it up and bloody ran off! I could have got a good scholarship I know it, and even with the money that dad didn't take it isn't enough to pay for a college degree."

Placing her hands on my cheeks she tenderly rubbed her thumb under my eye to catch my angry tears and lightly kissed my forehead, "Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. It will work out for the best I promise." Then she grabbed her coat and slipped it on, "What time are you going to Zach's?"

"I don't know, probably pretty soon why?" I began to untie my trainers as she slipped hers on.

"If you're staying the night make sure you're careful and use protection because that's the last thing we need right now." My head snapped up with shock and my cheeks flushed in embarrassment but my mum stood checking her bag as if this was a perfectly normal way to say goodbye to your daughter.

"Mum! He's on bed rest for a start and he can't really move very much." I was practically shrieking with embarrassment but my mum was giggling softly as she reached for the door handle.

Just when I thought she was going to leave without making me burn up from the blood rushing to my cheeks she gave me a quick glance and added, "Not all sexual activities have to involve a lot of tumbling around the bedsheets." Then she closed the door behind her but I could still hear her loud laughter as she walked towards the lift.

/

After my mum left I got showered and changed into some new clothes which were just some ripped denim jeans and a white top with a slogan on, I was now at Zach's. He was sitting at the kitchen table as I heated up the pasta that I brought from home, he was looking dangerously handsome in a pair of low hanging sweatpants and fortunately he had no shirt on. His hair was messy from it not being styled today and he had a stupid grin on his face as I "accidently" leaned over in front of him giving him a look at my ass in my tight jeans.

"Jesus Cam you're killing me." Then before I had a chance to comeback with something he gripped my hips and pulled me until I was sitting on his lap, he brushed my still slightly damp hair back his fingers trailing down my neck. "You have no idea how much I love you."

His voice was low and husky and when his lips went to my neck where his breath fanned my skin and his fingers pulled my top down across my shoulder my sarcastic remark was replaced with a soft moan. I felt his lips curl into a smirk as he kissed my jaw and slowly edged his lips to the corner of my mouth, "You're supposed to be resting." I breathed out as I gripped his hair in my fist when he pushed my front against his bare one.

We were both breathing heavily as our heart rates picked up, "I'll stop if you want." Then as he finally kissed me, his lips forceful against mine, he then pulled away and looked at me in the eye. His green ones filled with desire and his chest was rising against mine with the heavy breaths. I shook my head my words falling dead on my lips as Zach effortlessly moved me from sideways sitting on his lap to straddling him.

Moving my hands across his bare shoulders and up his neck I placed a soft kiss on his collar bone, then on his neck where I slowly sucked on the sensitive spot beneath his ear. I felt him harden beneath my thigh as I pressed myself further against him, slowly I moved my lips so they brushed across his cheek and I heard the sharp intake of breath as I neared his lips.

Apparently I was taking too long as with a low growl his lips were on mine; his arms were tight around my waist making my front pressed firmly against his. My hands were on the side of his face and down as neck as the kisses became were passionate, his arms loosened as his hands ran down my sides. During my movements I made sure to avoid his injuries and just followed the movements he was allowing me to do, I was making sure everything was at his pace.

It was a very intense pace to say the least.

His mouth was on my neck as he licked and sucked at it making my breaths became short and quick and my thighs tightened around his torso as my body was alive with ecstasy. His hands fumbled at the hem of my shirt before he pulled it off me and then his hands found my breasts. As he started kissing me again I became very aware of the situation, "Zach… Zach maybe we should slow down you're still recovering." My words came out slow and breathlessly as he left wet kisses down my chest and on my cleavage.

Slowly he pulled away, "Yeah maybe you're right." He seemed to slowly sober up but I could still see and feel the need for this to go further. "The food will be ready soon anyway." Smiling at him I combed through his hair to make it look more presentable and then I got off his lap and grabbed my shirt. "Hey no fair, you get to see my shirtless I should be allowed to see you shirtless too."

I started laughing then and turned around to give him a long kiss as he placed a hand on my lower back, "It's okay I sleep naked." We the burst out laughing and I slipped my shirt back on just as the oven bleeped telling us the pasta was ready.

We had finished our dinner and Zach was showering after we had a longer than necessary argument on why I wasn't going to join him, I was now sitting at his desk flicking through my phone when I heard his bedroom door click open. Looking up I saw Dean walk in and head towards the wardrobe, "Hey Dean." At the sound of my voice he jumped out of his skin and turned to face me his eyes wide and panicked.

A smirk graced his lips but he looked pretty embarrassed, "Shit Cammie you don't half know how to scare people." I was giggling to myself as he grabbed a dark navy shirt from one of Zach's hangers, "I didn't know you were round tonight."

"Yeah I got that from the shrieking and jumping." His response was just an exaggerated eye roll, "So why do you need that shirt, hot date with Lexi?"

"Yeah, we are going out for a meal with her family. Who are rich and her mother's a lawyer while her dad is a doctor so you know I won't feel at all out of place." His voice was dripping with sarcasm but I could sense the fear coming off him.

"Don't freak out, most parents main concern is the wellbeing of their child. They'll see you go all puppy eyed when you look at their daughter and how much you love her and not care about your income or whatever the hell you're worried about." I replied and he nodded and thanked me.

As he headed to the door he turned around to face me, "You know Zach looks at you the same way. He loves you so much it kind of scares me, I have never seen him so passionate about anything in his whole life." We were silent for a moment as I nodded my throat tightening slightly with tears, "I really wish you could have met our parents, they would have loved you."

Then with that he smiled warmly at me and closed the door behind him. When he left I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and filled with love and then put back in again, it was comforting knowing Dean actually liked me as well as believing his parents would have too. Pulling me from my thoughts as I stared at the wall with a light smile on my lips was Zach returning in a towel wrapped around his waist and another towel in his hand rubbing his damp curls.

I think my ovaries just exploded.

He was damp with droplets of water running down his toned chest and torso, the curls dripping down his neck as he patted them dry. The cut from my dad was actually healing really well and he got the few stiches removed yesterday so the scar was forming, he was yet to put a bandage back on it. But to honest it kind of added to the whole bad boy look he had going on right now.

Zach hasn't yet notices me gaping at him like a hormonal fan girl but he chucked the towel for his hair onto the door of his wardrobe and then picked up the dressing kit from the hospital, "Can you give me a hand with this babe?" Nodding I walked over to him and opened up the small box.

Taking out the dressing I placed it on the wound and then asked Zach to hold it in place as I wrapped it in a bandage and then secured it into place. "Done." Looking up I was caught off guard from how hooded his eyes had become, before I had much time to do anything else his hand found my waist and pulled me close towards his bare body.

He was seriously killing me tonight.

Running my hand up his side and across his chest then shoulder until I reached the back of his neck I pulled his face closer before lightly brushing my lips against his. Smiling against them he spoke, "How about I show you just how healed I've become." Before I could respond his lips were on mine and my back was on the mattress as the kissing got _a lot_ more heated.

 **Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh**

Hours had past and it was now late into the night and Zach and I were still lying in his bed, his sheets were tangled around our legs as both our naked bodies were pressed against each other. His long fingers were combing through my hair as my cheeks rested on his chest and my fingers drew patterns on his chest. Music was playing softly in the background as out heavy rapid breaths returned to normal.

Looking up at Zach so my chin was resting on his chest I saw he was already staring down at me, "How's your arm?" His lips were curled into a boyish grin as he smoothed down my hair and traced my face with his fingertips.

"Fine, a little stiff but after that I can't really complain." His grin turned into a smirk as I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment and hid them behind my hair. Laughing softly he spoke again trying to supress his giggles, "Do you want to watch a film and pig out? I got a tub of your favourite ice cream this morning." Without giving much room for another option I jumped out of bed excitedly as Zach laughed and we got out of bed.

Zach put back on his boxers while I slipped my panties back on and just but his top on as we headed downstairs to get some snacks. As he went towards the freezer I checked my phone from my jacket pocket and saw that I had a missed call from an unsaved number, curiosity quickly consuming me I called the number back. After a few rings there was an answer.

"Hello I had a missed call from this number from about ten minutes ago?" There was a polite woman on the other end asking for my name so she could check her system, I glanced at Zach to see him already giving me a curious look. I shrugged my shoulders in response and then he carried on preparing some stuff for our movie marathon.

A few moments passed before the woman spoke again, "Yes Cameron Morgan, its Sarah and I work with New York University we were just calling earlier to inform you that your application for your scholarship went through and we are pleased to inform you that you have a full sports college for NYU. If you keep an eye on your emails and post all of the details regarding the scholarship and further forms you have to fill out will be coming to you in the next couple of weeks."

I was literally hanging on every word Sarah was saying, gripping the phone as my heart battered against my ribs. "Thank you so much, yes I'll keep an eye. Thank you so much." After Sarah congratulated me once again and then we hung up I stared at my phone for a second before screaming and jumping up and down.

Zach was next to me trying to get me to calm down, "What's going on? Who was that?"

His eyes were twinkling with amusement at my massive grin and as I snaked my arms around his neck they darkened slightly, "NYU are offering me a scholarship, a full one. I am going to be able to go to college!"

Zach's smirk erupted into a grin as his arms tightened around my waist and he spun me around in circles as we laughed hysterically, slowing us down he lightly placed me back onto the floor but his arms were still tight around my waist as he brought his forehead against mine. "I am so proud of you Cammie." Smiling softly I pressed my lips lightly against his, "So bloody much." He muttered against them before he took it up himself to deepen it.

/

It had been a week since I found out about my scholarship and Zach's arm was pretty much healed it would just ache every now and then. When I told my mum about the scholarship she cried for about twenty minutes- from happiness- in front of Zach which made me want to crawl into a ball of embarrassment. I told my coach and he congratulated me telling me how proud he was of me. When the gang found out they screamed and acted even more embarrassingly than my mum, Nick proceeded to lift me up nearly over his head cheering.

When he nearly ran both of us into a tree he carefully returned me to the ground which I was grateful for.

Currently it was Friday lunch time and we were sitting outside on the grass, I was sitting next to Macey as she helped me with some German notes I couldn't get the hang of. Nick and Adam were arguing over some sports star while Grant and Bex were arguing over something stupid- probably who is paying for their next date it is a regular argument for them although they don't mean to argue a lot they are always just petty ones. Zach was sitting with his back against the tree we were sitting under scrolling through his phone; he kept glancing at me and smiling before looking back at his phone.

Judging from the smirk that would appear after he pointed it at one of us in the group I can almost guarantee he is trying to take mug shots of us for his Snapchat story since it's his new favourite thing. As I wrote some more notes for German finally getting the hang of the verbs Macey grabbed her phone and a loud shrill erupted from her lungs, "ZACH GOODE I WILL RIP YOUR MANHOOD OFF IF YOU DO NOT REMOVE THIS PHOTO!"

Everyone pulled out their phones in unison as Macey seethed with rage and then we all burst out laughing at the unflattering angle Zach had caught her at with his camera on high zoom. "It isn't funny," She was whining and proceeded to smack my arm "Tell your stupid boyfriend to delete that stupid pic before anyone else sees it." I was laughing but glanced at Zach to see him grinning but deleting the photo.

"There you go Macey, you can calm down now. Only half the football team saw it it's no big deal." This statement ended with her throwing her large German textbook at my boyfriend's stomach.

After our mini Macey drama at lunch we were now heading to our afternoon lessons, I was grabbing some stuff from my locker before I was about to head to German to hand in my homework Macey was helping me with when I felt a familiar chest pressed against my back. As Zach's warm breath fanned my bare neck from my hair being pulled into a pony tail my skin erupted with tingles and my knees nearly gave out beneath me.

I really need to get over this, I mean we're together I shouldn't _still_ be a hot shaking mess whenever he is around me.

His lips lightly pressed against my neck as he mumbled a greeting on my skin making my insides turn to mush and I turned around slowly before leaning against the locker next to my open one as he stepped closer so out hips were nearly touching. "How's your arm?" I asked and he murmured a response before pressing his lips back to my neck and slowly dragged his mouth up my jaw before he lightly kissed the corner of my mouth.

My eyes rolled shut as I gripped the lapel of his jacket tighter pulling him closer and a soft moan left me, "You look very good today." Zach breathed against my skin as his lips moved against my skin as he spoke. Moving my hands from his jacket to his waist I snaked my hand around his back beneath his jacket and over his top pulling him closer.

"Oh babe I know." I whispered before pressing my lips against his and pulling him closer as his hands fell to my neck and his long fingers reached into my hair as his lips moved against my own. His mouth telling me things he couldn't say at school, kissing me softly but with so much love and passion it made my heart hammer and my body fill with warmth. The kisses weren't rushed or hungry we were taking our time, not caring we were in the now empty hallway as my hand balled his top into a fist and my other messed up his hair as I pressed his face closer to mine.

Pulling us from our moment was a loud whistle from the end of the hallway, "Morgan just before you are hiding behind your locket door doesn't mean you're invisible- now get to class." I could hear my coach smiling as he spoke, he wasn't angry probably just irritated. Smirking Zach rested his forehead against mine as my coach's footsteps carried on in their direction away from us.

"It's a good job you're his favourite student otherwise we'd be getting roasted right now." Zach said as he stepped away from me.

"Yeah it is, now come here I wasn't done with you Goode." Then I pressed my lips back to his.

 **THE END.**

 **Thank you for everyone who supported this story, it really means a lot. Some of the stuff in this may not be factual as I don't go to school in America so the schooling system might be different- I apologise if it isn't.**

 **Hope you had as good of a time reading this as I did writing it.**


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